Alice Sara Ott was captivated by the fascinating collection of objects left by musicians in our Tiny Desk office. She quickly folded an origami swan to add to the display. The 34-year-old German-born pianist shared, “Music is timeless” and presented a mix of 200-year-old Chopin compositions with a contemporary piece by Chilly Gonzales. According to Ott, our perception of music depends on the context.
Ott’s performance of Chopin’s Opus 28 Preludes, starting with the powerful and anguished Prelude No. 24 in D minor, demonstrated the continued relevance of the composer’s work. She then described the Prelude No. 7 in A major as charming and innocent, reminiscent of a fragment of a memory. Gonzales’ Prelude in C sharp major blended Bach’s influence with a forward-looking approach, incorporating elements of ambient music and minimalism. Ott concluded the concert with Chopin’s famous “Raindrop” Prelude, infusing it with intense emotion as demanded by the music.
SET LIST
- Chopin: Prelude Op. 28, No. 24
- Chopin: Prelude Op. 28, No. 7
- Chilly Gonzales: Prelude in C-Sharp Major
- Chopin: Prelude Op. 28, No. 15 “Raindrop”
MUSICIANS
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Tom Huizenga
- Director/Editor: Kara Frame
- Audio Engineer: Neil Tevault
- Creative Director: Bob Boilen
- Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Videographers: Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel
- Audio Assistant: Jay Czys
- Production Assistant: Alanté Serene
- Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
- Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Josh Rogosin, Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
- Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
