Jean-Efflam Bavouzet plays Rachmaninov at Classic FM Live

14 April 2015, 15:56 | Updated: 16 April 2015, 10:50

The award-winning pianist talked ahead of his performance at Classic FM Live where he played Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

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The French pianist was only too happy to treat us to a preview of his Classic FM Live performance backstage, where he also chatted to Jane Jones about the piece itself and his career.

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Bavouzet talked about his initial headstrong attitude towards playing Rachmaninov: "When you are young, you are stupid... when I opened the score of the second piano concerto when I was probably 16 or 17... when I saw it was composed in the '30s I turned it down, I though it was not modern enough for me!"

His attitude towards Rachmaninov has softened, however, and he now refers to the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini as the 'Rachmanini'.