Above, watch Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi perform an original composition, “Elegy for the Arctic,” on a grand piano, floating right in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. In one of his most challenging performances, Einaudi played “Elegy for the Arctic” for the very first time–a piece dedicated to the preservation of the Arctic. The home of endangered wildlife, the region also helps regulate our fragile climate. And our future depends partly on whether we keep it intact.
To pull off this production, a Greenpeace ship transported Einaudi and his grand piano to the seas north of Norway, and put them on a large platform. Says Greenpeace:
The massive early retreat of sea ice due to the effects of climate change allowed the construction of a 2.6 x 10 metre artificial iceberg, made from more than 300 triangles of wood attached together and weighing a total of nearly two tonnes. A grand piano was then placed on top of the platform.
You can see Einaudi performing right in front of a large glacier, while ice sheets fall aways as he plays. It’s a sight to behold.
If you would like to help protect the Arctic, you can donate to Greenpeace here.
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Global Warming: A Free Course from UChicago Explains Climate Change
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The Making of a Steinway Grand Piano, From Start to Finish
I’m confused… there are no mountains in the Arctic.. Did you mean Antarctica?
Laura,
The Arctic referenced is the Arctic Ocean (which they stated) and general Arctic region (which is implied). Also, you see that they said this was off of the coast of Norway, which does have mountains.
If he were really ‘in the MIDDLE of the Arctic Ocean, he would be on solid pack ice and not floating at all. What a shame that you ruin a good post by your seeking sensationalism as this has introduced unnecessary, distracting and annoying untruths!
I wonder how much fuel it takes to transport a person and their piano to the Arctic.
Haha! Too true Art Hodges.
Beautiful video & music. I just don’t understand how his hands weren’t numb with cold…
I was thinking the same thing.