Despite their pop appeal, the Labeques are serious artists

Assuming they survive Denver, Katia and Marielle Labeque willcome to Orchestra Hall on Wednesday to play a Bartok and Bernsteinprogram for Chamber Music Chicago. Their first recital here inSeptember, 1985, had people talking for months afterward, and thesecond concert holds promise of the same effect.

Lured by such expectations I went to Bologna last year, whilesampling opera in Italy, to hear them play. Unfortunately, theprogram was canceled.

"That's right," Katia said ruefully. "I had a kind of tendinitis,and I was afraid that if I went on playing it would make it worse, soI had to stop for a month. Now everything is fine.

"It happened in Denver in November," she said. "I was playing ona very bad piano. The keyboard was really too heavy for me. Nosound. And I tried to force the sound, and I really shouldn't havedone that. And there were four concerts in a row. In the last Iknew had hurt myself. I hit one chord in Poulenc and said, `Whathave I done?' I finished the concert, but my finger really hurt. Isimply had to stop playing and let it heal.

"They swear they have different pianos for us this time. But ifI find the same piano in Denver, I shall switch with my sister. Sheis stronger. I was so stubborn last time. She said, `Change withme, you will have problems with this piano.' But I said, `No, I wantto play this. I really want to sacrifice myself.' This time I know.Being out of action for a month is too big a sacrifice. I'm learningthe hard way to protect myself."

Their present visit to the United States takes the Labeques to13 places in three weeks, which makes for very litle time off.

"We're used to it," Katia said with resignation. "It is stillterrible, but it's all right. In the beginning, it's a little toughto get used to touring again. But most of the time we have our owninstruments coming from New York. German Steinways - very, verygood. No problem."

The pianos to be heard in Chicago were used earlier in thetour, in Boston and Philadelphia. Last time in Chicago, they usedtwo local instruments and they were not well-matched in tone.

"We are very grateful that we can play the Bartok Sonata for TwoPianos and Percussion in Chicago. We had a lot of difficultyorganizing this tour because of the program. They told us in Bostonthat the last time anyone had played the sonata was 20 years ago.The first half is all Bartok, `Mikrokosmos' and the sonata. At firstwe thought we might begin with some French music, but it does not gowell with the Bartok sonata - it is too much of a different world -so we changed the program. Then we play Bernstein's songs and dancesfrom `West Side Story.' These are very nice arrangements. We enjoythem very much, and the contrast is desirable. It is very goodmusic, and it doesn't sound at all like the orchestral version.People may hate it, or love it, but definitely they will see it in anewway."

The Labeque sisters are not, as they see themselves, acrossover phenomenon. They know they could pack houses if they puton slinky gowns and played lighter and more popular programs, butthis does not interest them. They are quite aware that they areattractive young women, and they are happy for this positive image,provided it is not overdone.

"We are serious musicians," Katia insisted.

That is why the Labeques like to come to Chicago for Chamber MusicChicago, an organization associated with serious concerts. "These arewonderful people to work with," Katia said. "They are doing such amarvelous job of expanding their horizons and leading their audienceto new things, and they are so receptive when you suggest a programlike this. When our management proposed this tour, Chicago said yesright away, and then our manager said, `Fine, we will have to work onthis because if I can tell others that Chicago likes the program,they will view it more favorably.' Sure enough, Boston and LosAngeles took it after that, and we were under way."

And that is how one innovative music-producing group can havean influence far beyond the city in which it functions.

"We recorded the Bartok two years ago for EMI (Angel Records inthe United States)," Katia said, "and I am so mad at them for neverbringing it out. We did both the original version, which we playhere, and the revision as a concerto for two pianos and orchestra.Simon Rattle conducted for us with the Birmingham (England)Orchestra. It should be a wonderful record, but someone decided thatBartok doesn't sell, so they are in no hurry to bring it out. Bartokis such an orchestrator, and the two versions are not at all alike.It is not an arrangement, but a new composition."

Life is busy for the Labeques, the price of success.

"We're working quite a lot. After my hand healed, we began againin January for the Mozart week in Salzburg (Austria), playing Mozartconcertos. That was really wonderful. Then we played with theBerlin Philharmonic. After this American tour, we are going back andgoing on another tour of Germany that runs to the 15th of May.

"Then we have some time free. We will go to the Basque coastand our parents and the dog and my pet rabbit. That will be nice,"she said wistfully, thinking perhaps of all the concerts to be playedand all the early morning flights that must be caught before thathappy day.