Alice Sara Ott: Tiny Desk Concert

Tom Huizenga | July 14, 2023
When Alice Sara Ott walked into our Tiny Desk office space she was fascinated by all the knickknacks and doodads musicians have left on the shelves over the years. She immediately got to work, folding an origami swan, which would be her own contribution. But first, it was given pride of place atop our trusty Yamaha upright - a talisman of good things to come.
“Music is timeless,” the 34-year-old German-born pianist told the audience. And to prove it she served up nearly 200-year-old music by Chopin mixed with a contemporary work that looks back in time by the Canadian composer, pianist and genre-buster Chilly Gonzales. “If we perceive music as old, dusty and elite, or if it feels modern, relevant and inclusive to us, depends so much on the context,” Ott added.
Chopin, whose cycle of Opus 28 Preludes dominate the set list, still sounds remarkably relevant today. Ott opens with a hurricane of passionate anguish in the Prelude No. 24 in D minor. She stabs at the music’s final inky black notes, like pounding nails in a coffin. What follows couldn’t be more contrary: the Prelude No. 7 in A major Ott describes as charming and innocent, like a “fragment of a memory.” Gonzales’ own Prelude in C sharp minor has Bach in the rearview mirror and yet looks out ahead toward ambient music and minimalism. Without pause, Chopin’s famous “Raindrop” Prelude, with those insistent, nervous droplets, caps off a concert by a thoughtful pianist willing to inject a full measure of emotion into music that demands it.
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
Alice Sara Ott: piano
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
#tinydesk #nprmusic #alicesaraott

[@nprmusic]

Hey Tiny Desk Fans, Check out NPR’s Black Stories, Black Truths - a collection of podcasts hosted by journalists who speak truth to power. Our voices are as varied, nuanced, and dynamic as the Black experience. And stories should never be about us without us. Listen now: www.npr.org/podcasts/510372/black-stories-black-truths

[@chrislink73]

I like the dusty old piano, I like that it's a bit off pitch. If you want to hear a concert performance, go see her in a theater. This is the sound of an incredibly talented artist performing with what she was given, in a tiny desk room, with all the imperfections that make it beautiful.

[@staffanolofsson8201]

Wonderful comment. This piano sound reminds me of the film "The Pianist" by Roman Polanski. Great music can be played utterly beautiful on not the the best pianos. Like here.

[@gaoqifen]

I wish to know what model of this piano.

[@why4duck]

@@gaoqifen Looks like a Yamaha U1

[@clutchmatic]

It sounds like what I thought it would happen if I invited her to play at my home on my piano 😂

[@TheRealDannAlexander]

Bill Evans always said if you get a piano that’s a bit off you weather it through, because that’s the job at hand. This performance is marvellous.

[@PaulSmith-gb6wq]

Love Bill

[@quaver1239]

Piano tuned or untuned, this lady is musical magic. A privilege hearing her both play and speak. Thank you!

[@yamahaamp8892]

I had never before experienced piano music in such a chaotic setting. There was no Steinway & Son piano, no grand auditorium. The lighting was too blue, and the bookshelf background too colorful; it seemed like all the wrong elements were combined. Despite this, I found myself mesmerized, unable to look away from the entire mini-concert. The performance was nothing short of masterful, akin to witnessing the creation of true masterpieces. Your storytelling through the music was captivating, and your passion for piano shone through every note. It was a performance that touched not only the keys but also the very soul of the audience, allowing them to travel through time and connect with the hearts of Chopin and Chilly Gonzales. I am left utterly speechless by the emotions conveyed. As I listened, I discovered an unexpected love for your piano performance growing within me. Your skill and dedication to your craft were evident, transcending the limitations of the unconventional setting. Your music breathed life into the space, transforming it into a sanctuary of artistry and expression. Indeed, it is safe to say that you are a true piano maestro, and the Tiny Desk Concert was the perfect venue for you to showcase your exceptional talent. I am grateful to have been part of this unforgettable experience, a testament to the power of music to break barriers and ignite the deepest passions within us.

[@user-wq9ng5xd5l]

Her smile when she plays. She enjoys what she is doing.. Absolutely one of my favorite episodes of tiny desk..

[@dannisolowsky7287]

I have been playing the piano for over 30 years, almost my entire life, and nothing makes me want to sit down at the keys again quite like a master of the craft like Alice. Chopin is such an expressive vehicle and Alice has taken this humble upright (much like the one in my house) and made the most beautiful magic. Thank you, NPR, for this gift! And thank you Alice for your inspiration! (Also Tiny Desk please tune your piano. 😬)

[@woojalitus]

To the snobs complaining about the piano… you’ve all missed the point. She’s played thousands of perfectly tuned pianos. Here… in this KZbin video… she’s playing this piano. She’s playing this piano like no one ever has or may never again. Incredible performance and sound. I cried.

[@poopyloopy7236]

i didn't notice the piano was out of tune, but i did notice the poorer sound quality. Then i checked the description and realized it wasn't josh rogosin on the audio, which makes sense since the sound seemed muffled/dry and less rich to me (maybe off-tuning contributed to this). i would love to listen to this but the sound just makes it uncomfortable to listen to.

[@alvarogarridopiano]

@woojalitus I'm sorry to tell, but if you think that sound quality and instrument sound quality is snobbish, you're stuck in the 1930s. Fortunately, classical piano has been something for everyone for a long time now. There is nothing wrong with pointing out that it is a pity that the piano is not tuned properly. While it is true that renting a baby piano would have been more ideal (I think the budget is not an issue) at least a quick tuning would have made a difference to the quality of this great little concert. It's very common to expect a quality deployment of microphones and sound production from the technicians. So far from being snobbish, one would expect a better sound. Something that in this case does not depend solely on the microphones but on the tuning of the piano. I'm sure you wouldn't have liked it if the Garret, Capaldi or Sting concert had been recorded with the sound of a mobile phone. I'm sure they would have got a sound out of the microphone "like no one ever has or may never again", but that's not the point. You expect to have a minimum of recording quality. The same goes for piano tuning. Congratulations on the concert, to Alice Sara and to NPR.

[@ohigotchya]

“The quality of a pianist should not be measured by how they sound on a good piano. It should be measured by how they sound on a BAD piano”

[@foljs5858]

@@alvarogarridopiano "I'm sorry to tell, but if you think that sound quality and instrument sound quality is snobbish, you're stuck in the 1930s" And I'm sorry to tell, but if you think that sound quality and instrument sound quality is what music is about, then you're focusing on the wrong things... "There is nothing wrong with pointing out that it is a pity that the piano is not tuned properly" there's however something wrong in not understanding when a mellower, slightly out of tune piano sound is seeked and fits better...

[@alvarogarridopiano]

@@foljs5858 ok..

[@kristencollins521]

Even the most broken of things deserve to be loved and played. She approached this piano like another other hand made she has played. With love of the instrument and music.

[@beatrizmunozcano203]

Her smile when she plays. She enjoys what she is doing.

[@phyllissham1458]

I am going through a very dark time of my life, thank you Sarah for providing such compassionate pieces.

[@alphalabnyc]

Sending love and energy to get you through 💜🫶

[@ZerOArtGFX]

Stay strong!

[@chiyogenton]

御病気もありとても辛い日々を送られたことと思いますが、こうして明るい笑顔と素晴らしい演奏に出会えたことを嬉しく思います。

[@Dj_pekas]

The way she moves her hands is just captivating. She is a walking masterpiece.

[@fornostios8970]

All for the show

[@S1NNERGY]

sitting*

[@Marzaries]

@@fornostios8970 Not necessarily. Much of it is for feeling, a sense of timing etc.

[@Alix777.]

She has multiple sclerosis, she 's way beyond "the show".

[@camilleOtto]

What a beautiful person, her words are just as moving as her piano.

[@timdungan-levant7640]

It would be okay with me if you had more solo classical music concerts. (Thank you for this beautiful performance!)

[@prince4ever]

Wow!!!!!! My favorite pianist. Her smile and performance made me cry. What a pure musician. Thank you NPR music.

[@dangerislander]

She's so eloquent when she talks about what inspires her music ❤

[@tsukuban]

驚いた！彼女のLIVEがこのような方法でシェアされるなって！こんなリッチなコンテンツはとても貴重だとおもう。このような企画をした方に感謝します！

[@Maikel2Play]

Wow I never expected to see a classical pianist to be so much into Chilly Gonzalez. I listened to all of his albums, his music is sooo chill!!

[@staffanolofsson8201]

11:28 Among all thousands of "Raindrops" there are in this world of interpretations of Chopins masterpiece, one more clever than the other, I still think Alice Sara Ott brings this music back to us with this interpretation on a "normal" piano and in a "normal" environment, showing us the genious of this music right in front of our daily life. Thank you so much, Alice Sara Ott!

[@jun5711]

アップライトピアノでも自在に弾きこなしていますね！弘法筆を選ばず　心に沁みました。

[@makanimike]

omg, my favorite contemporary pianist! nice booking NPR!!

[@Dj_pekas]

It really is captivating

[@9UaYXxB]

I get it that the piano isn't ideal. But it's a given that there will be constraints when performing for 'The Desk'... it's really a commonplace that there is. To me 'Tiny Desk' is about artists coming and tipping their hats to a continuum... sharing their own perspective on the artistic life they know within a circle of appreciative onlookers (on-'listeners') ... from both near and far. It is about sharing their gratitude for the artistic gifts that they've been allowed to channel during their lives. Alice communicates this gratitude with open honesty and genuine grace. As is her way. Bravo Miss Ott !

[@staffanolofsson8201]

This is how a very good piano used to sound some time ago, and I accept it. More than accept, I love it. Sometimes Im fed up with that perfect Steinway sound. Alice Sara Ott really knows how to hammer on that keys to get that right old sound out of this instrument. Making the piano beeing a big clock, ding-donging all over the place. Thank you for that ding-donging, Alice.

[@joshchen322]

What a treat! I've been listening to her Complete works of Chopin album on apple music a lot when I drive in my car. It's great to see her at Tiny Desk!

[@keeganitreal]

Such emotion and focus in her playing. Spectacular!

[@gregoryhatt6475]

Thank you, and bravo to your musicianship...goosebumps and tears

[@chired6851]

ASO is so awesome, I saw her play in London about 10 years ago.

[@user-bk8ci3qv7d]

Just wonderful!! We are so lucky to have you Ms Ott!!!

[@user-yq9cs9jk1k]

Thank you @npr for bringing Chopin and Gonzales, and especially Alice, to Tiny Desk! Truly a joy on so many levels.

[@Csantos1941]

Miss Sara Ott, you are such a joy! Thank you for sharing your amazing gift with us!!!

[@sandrareginabragavazdallon3844]

Amazing! Fantastic! Congrats! From Australia 🇦🇺 🙏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@sgtduffy]

I just discovered Alice and oh my goodness I’m in love! She’s so talented and gracious… and it almost seems like she plays not with her fingers but emotions-there’s no disconnect between her and the music being performed 🥹 I also love how she smiles not just with her lips but also her eyes ♥️

[@cesarfranciscomacarioixcot8410]

This is a gift for the soul. Thank you!

[@lewmakino8521]

Please keep on playing for us!! We need you around and your interpretations to know and feel the depth of each piece. I still remember your discourses on Poland, Chopin, Grieg etc. We need you around!! Appreciate more of you on KZbin.

[@trevorbsmith716]

Wowza. She's incredible!!! That descending run she does with her right hand at 1:50 gave me goosebumps, and I just rewatched her do it over and over about 20 times =P. Would looooove to see her perform live some day, I can only imagine how magical it would be! 🎶🙏🥰🙏🎶

[@srutka]

That run's amazing because it's descending thirds, it's all chords

[@Alix777.]

She has multiple sclerosis it's amazing she can still play at this level.

[@LilacLunar]

i found this somehow on acid last night and it was the most beautiful part of the whole trip. My jaw dropped the whole performance and the way she explains her perspective and connection to each piece is amazing. I was brought to tears with how she lets the music truly embody her, and she has now become one of my favorite artists of all time. Looking into buying tickets for the NY performance asap. A truly mesmerizing experience from start to finish. Also, I've never seen anyone in my life smile with their eyes like this. The joy she feels through the music was spread to me and it was beyond the ultimate experience, I had to watch it 3 times in a row

[@MatSmithLondon]

Yeh I think you have to be on acid to enjoy it...

[@electricearth1101]

good trip

[@JarrodJohnson-py2ks]

Absolutely one of my favorite episodes of tiny desk.

[@barriegrubb5682]

She is glorious! She radiates joy! I am mesmerized by her performance & essence! What 'an awestruck performance!!👏👏🏽👏👏🏽

[@h3ctor1991]

Beautiful pieces! It made me feel so sad, happy, thoughful and emotional... one of the biggest interpreters I've ever seen. Thanks Alice & Tiny desk for delight to us with this small spot for a video, a very enjoyable video.

[@daniele5976]

That piano couldn't even imagine it could sound like that.

[@taleman730]

😅 perfectly said

[@rmmusic33]

😂

[@staffanolofsson8201]

Perfect comment, that piano has never had a more talented pianist. When it is old it will always remember the time when Alice Sara Ott played it.

[@lambo99khoker56]

@@staffanolofsson8201Marc Andre Hamelin played on it.

[@jponz85]

​@staffanolofsson8201 yeah bro, she's good, she ain't Marc Andre Hamelin though. That dude is on Arcadi Volodos level. There's levels, and those two are above all these pianists

[@TheGGreggs]

Alice Sara is amazing, a stunning talent. I love the way she plays Chopin and I am transfixed when she plays Beethoven. This short clip is wonderful. Thank you!

[@juareflo]

Sweet and charming! BRAVOO!! You make happy my day!!Thanks!!

[@theloniushi]

Amazing, thank you so much

[@ShakaBrah3]

Everything was absolutely beautiful ... the artist, her lovely and masterful performance, her displayed love and passion for music and performing on the piano, and the pieces she chose to perform and share with the audience. It was an incredible listening and visual experience.

[@AlonsoAlonso-nd6kt]

8:06- 8:55 one of the loveliest piano sounds I've heard in my 18 years of life- Such a caring relationship between the player and the piano seems like a person who respects the craft and has big love for it - Thanks NPR music -

[@juliashrop]

Absolutely amazing!!!!

[@DC9V]

Never saw someone playing the first prelude with so much power and confidence. Truely amazing!

[@AficionadoKO]

Outstanding, Toll!

[@staffanolofsson8201]

I remember that gifted pianist Alice Sara Ott long ago gave us the information that she has the disease MS, Multiple Sclerosis. So happy then to see her play this good. I welcome her back!

[@Tzctplus]

She has not stopped performing. I've seen her a couple of times in London after that announcement. She's a great musician.

[@staffanolofsson8201]

@@Tzctplus Lucky you!

[@garyjohnson1466]

So seldom do we get a glimpse into such a talented pianist as Alice Sara Ott, who express her beautify thru her music, an share a bit of herself, thank you for sharing, so nicely played on a beautiful old upright piano, sounds some where between a harpsichord and a baby grand…

[@soccerbaby512]

WOW! Alice is so amazing! She is a gift!

[@DavidGatto]

Wow the haunting ambience of the upright - perfectly suited to the opening piece. ❤

[@DaleHubbard]

Wonderful!

[@andrionniribo8842]

her album chopin: waltzes was my reentry in to classical music. seeing her perform live in berkeley, california was a delight for me. nice to see her at the tiny desk venue!

[@andresklavierraum]

I love that album!

[@mcbill7352]

now listen to ligeti piano concerto

[@lmpavel29]

The best piano music. Amazing! ❤

[@foli8730]

She's fantastic!!! Loved this!!!!

[@ameliacoppage7867]

Love it.

[@hmh830]

I went to see her tour recital in Tokyo where she performed for her album Echoes of Life, she played profoundly beautiful that I could feel the serenity and her emotions in every note. I think no matter what kind of piano she plays, she has this magic to make you feel the power of music and her true passions for it. I am looking forward to seeing her recital in my home town someday. And for now I would keep this memory of that drizzling night in Tokyo.

[@loganyoung2408]

Well that could have been about 48 minutes longer. Absolutely incredible

[@mvriotrese]

Alice immerses herself in another dimension with every piece she performs and she takes you along with her in every note she plays.

[@darthbog2125]

thank you for the pleasure

[@Claire-ing]

thank you

[@loganschmidt1118]

Her collaboration with Olafur Arnalds on The Chopin Project is one of my most listened to albums of all time

[@thomasbunner734]

Chopin bares his heart and soul in all of his music. It takes a brave and fearless pianist to bring forth his formidable and exquisite emotions from a piano. Like Chopin, perhaps she most enjoys playing in front of a small audience, in small, salon-like settings, and this tiny room fits the bill quite well. And the piano; it was perfect! Lovely, lovely, lovely music. Thank you so much!

[@deserticus18]

she is so beautiful!!....and plays the piano as beautifully

[@mimi-lz7jh]

I love it❣️

[@kgbinfo]

She is amazing. What a great performance!

[@_fromGroundBelow]

.' Beautiful. 🎹 🦋 🎼 ❤ Thank you.

[@customercareskeleton]

Incredible! ❤

[@SyashaDigler]

I feel that is so short! =( I love how much you put emotion. You are an incredible artist. Always rooting for your show!

[@AlbertoSegovia.]

Very articulate! Awesome!

[@Junetao916]

Amazing. I sat here in clear thought

[@ibe966]

This just shows that a virtuoso can make any instrument sound like notes from heaven. A truly masterful interpretation...

[@eleanorrigby9201]

I love her and her piano. I’m so impressed with seeing her on this channel.

[@vipassana72]

beautiful. both musically and physically.

[@thomasbernecky2078]

Great Tiny Piano Concerts by a great great Pianist, many thanks Ms. Ott.

[@1976oswald]

Awesome !!!

[@tonyborthwick1234]

I'm in love .. with her music, her words and her timeless beauty.

[@danyrk]

Beautiful ❤

[@EekaMau5]

Amazing performance !!!!

[@pcgenjin]

what a way to start. she's incredible.

[@budsurtees4224]

Simply marvelous. Of course she is brilliant, and Chopin, my pianist mother's favorite composer, is always sublime.

[@pauljordan486]

A truly gifted artist rises above the instrument and delivers a stunning performance.

[@janices6140]

She certainly made that trusty old upright piano sound wonderful!

[@alexandereudean487]

U show it with pleasure❤

[@ginogalan9783]

Oh girl, you really made me cry with that raindrop prelude!

[@BlackHermit]

Wonderful performance Alice Sara Ott.

[@flashchrome]

Raindrop is such a great piece. Performed so well too. Lovely!

[@muzikhed]

Amazing pianist, lovely concert. Love her her reflection of mountains " Monumental arquitecture of nature "

[@staffanolofsson8201]

This old upright piano, a little bit untuned, gives us a wonderful lesson about history and pianos. I like the untamed sound of it and Alice Sara Ott for sure gives it the right treatment.

[@RadioTheif]

Sort of like The Koln Concert.

[@staffanolofsson8201]

@@RadioTheif Or Rubinstein or Horowitz.

[@Tee-Kay_9708]

Beautiful sounds 🪽

[@andrewashdown3541]

One is in tears ... but inspired at the same time👏

[@shadoxir]

One of the greats of my time, making a piano of its caliber sound like a piano it could only dream of. Truly, it is not the tool that maketh the artist great. It is the greatness hidden within the artist itself. Glorious.

[@TheSphat]

OMG, i cried! So beautiful!

[@Allen-by6ci]

She is amazing

[@uylenspyghelclassics5021]

Beautifull room, beautifull instrument, beautifull Alice Sara Ott ...Go for it.

[@ptbfrch]

Her collaboration with Ólafur Arnalds is just magical, truly something to fully immerse yourself in. The Chopin Project is one of my favourite records of all time. But obviously, she has so much brilliant from her young life: I really can't wait to follow her through the decades ahead and listen to her interpretations.

[@Diegocbaima]

Great!

[@peachmilkshake_]

Oooou...I was looking for something to start my Monday off with and I think I just found it 🤩🤩