Patrick Rapold

Patrick Rapold

Did you get into acting because it was in your family, and what influenced you to train as a classical pianist?
Well actually, it was the other way around. I was raised in a musical family - though not professional - which gave me the possibility to experiment from early childhood on the piano in a very free, let's call it 'childish' way. Later my experiences as a musician influenced my acting a lot. Acting is music too, in certain ways.

You studied acting in several European schools. Where did you receive your musical education and where - or from whom - did you learn the most important lessons?
My great affection towards Horowitz during all my teenage years made it for me practically necessary to study with a Russian teacher. I considered myself very lucky to get into Vladimir Krainev's class. I nowadays call it my years in Russian military. I am sure Krainev was the one who helped me gain the virtuosity I needed to express what I wanted. Later I studied with Karl-Andreas Kolly in Zurich, who was not much over-excited about my virtuosity but taught me to be exact again.

What do acting and playing music respectively bring to your life?
Films and Music - they both tell stories. I love telling stories.

'If you have to learn "the lines" of the second or third Rachmaninov concertos, it just takes a little bit longer before you can even start to interpret'

And what are the main differences between acting and performing music live?
The creative process starts earlier in acting, actually from the first rehearsal things might change. The lines aren't the most important thing. If you have to learn 'the lines' of the second or third Rachmaninov concertos, it just takes a little bit longer before you can even start to interpret.

Between the two disciplines, what has been your career highlight so far?
In music I have had several personal highlights - in concerts, but also the recording of this CD, where I had total freedom. Sony really granted me to basically record and do whatever I wanted. But all I needed was a well-tuned Steinway and two microphones. In films you depend on so many other factors, like the script, the colleagues, the production value and it is so much more expensive. I guess the most enjoyable experience was Nocturne, a very beautiful chamber play film that wasn't a great success at the box office but we were free since we more or less produced it ourselves.

Some of our readers might recognise you from a cameo appearance in EuroTrip, the unofficial sequel to Road Trip. What made you audition for this part?
On the one hand, reading through my character just made me laugh. At the time we shot it in Prague, I was still in post-production with Nocturne, where we had to fear every week that the laboratory wouldn't send us the footage since we had run out of money. And at the same time I was on my first Hollywood set where they changed half of the Prague main station into Paris Gare de l'Est just to shoot something they probably won't use anyway. It was wonderful: I like contrasts

'I understand that Geoffrey Rush actually plays the piano very well, having played most of the Shine performances himself'

Do you know of many other professional actors who are proficient musicians?
Not really. I know the daughter of a German actress who unfortunately passed away at very young age years ago. She lived in Paris, was very successful as an actress in Germany and was a performing concert pianist as well. It would have been great to meet with her. And I understand that Geoffrey Rush actually plays the piano very well, having played most of the Shine performances himself, but unfortunately we haven't met yet either.

You live in both LA and Zurich. Why is this and where do you feel most at home?
Zurich is home. A wonderful place to come back to. But then again, in order to be able to come back you have to leave first. LA is different. Sort of a love-hate thing, I guess. But even though a lot of movies are no longer shot in LA anymore, it is still the place where American films are financed and cast. It's pretty tough. There are days in LA where you think 'My god, why haven't I met this wonderful person before?' and others where you think the place might as well be called 'Hollywouldn't'.

What are your favourite film scores and which would you most like to perform?
I don't consider myself a film score performer. There are people out there who are so good in what they're doing. And I'm not only talking about the big shots in the US like John Williams or Alan Silvestri, who did terrific jobs on several films. I also appreciate composers who go a different way than the classical orchestra, like Eric Serra, Gustavo Santaolalla or Yann Tiersen.

'I admire Kissin for his extraordinary artistic gift and his modesty'

Is composition for film an area that interests you?
Maybe one day I will go into directing, and the score will be a subject that I will pay very high attention to, but more as a supervisor. I highly respect the work of others, and I know my boundaries.

Your latest album includes some of the most famous piano encores. How did you decide which works made it onto the disc?
It was important for me that I must not swamp the audience with one virtuoso piece after another. The quite simple pieces on the CD represent a very important aspect of the encore as well. So I decided to arrange them in an order, so one could really listen through the entire album. Also the keys in which the compositions are written made a great deal in finding my choice and order.

Which pianists have influenced you most?
I think I answered part of that question already - Horowitz, especially his late years. The self humour, this wonderful mixture of genius and clown, which was only made possible after going through so many difficulties and depression. I admire Kissin for his extraordinary artistic gift and his modesty. And I envy Volodos for his unreasonable easiness.

Release details: Patrick Rapold - La Campanella; Sony Classical; out in autumn 2008

http://patrickrapold.com

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