Violin Babes

[Szykneij]

I'm not sure how this thread came into being, but here is my contribution. While she is no Hahn playing-wise, Linda Brava definitely knows her way around the fingerboard.

I have this one on my shelf:



I don't have this one:

[Mirror Image]

That Lisa Batiashvili is pretty easy on the eyes...

[Conor71]

I dont think anyone has mentioned Arabella Steinbacher yet! - 

[ibanezmonster]

Bond. A couple of them play violin. I don't care which ones 

All I see in that picture is... those are very big.

I dont think anyone has mentioned Arabella Steinbacher yet! - 

Cutest one on this thread.

[Mirror Image]

Yes, Conor, Steinbacher is quite attractive.

[Sid]

Sorry to sound like some feminist like Germaine Greer from the '60's, but I feel somewhat uncomfortable discussing physical sex appeal when talking about female instrumentalists. It's 2011 not 1911. Maybe these things are more relevant when talking about opera singers - many of the great opera singers, male & female, had a certain physical poise or charisma about them which both males and females could appreciate. But they inhabit certain roles in operas which are dramatic works, so that's a bit like discussing a film or stage actor. But violinists? I smell a fair bit of sexism here. Maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously, but a lot of people would say we tend to focus on the niceness or prettiness of females as versus males. It doesn't matter that violinists like Menuhin or Oistrakh or Stern were not hunks. We don't focus on that at all.

But yes, the suits and marketers behind the financial side of classical music are banking on us developing these stereotypes. Even the publicity shots of my favourite piano trio group "Trioz" here in Australia bear that out. They are also called Selby and Friends, as they are headed by pianist Kathryn Selby (right). I was having a brief conversation with a prominent Australian cellist when I met him on the street here in Sydney. He's in his sixties and I mentioned Trioz. He said something to the effect that "they would never have an old guy like me as a guest in their series playing amongst all of their pretty ladies" But he's one of the most respected cellists in this country. I personally love seeing Trioz live. It's probably not necessarily because I'm male, but because they play so well. They are amongst the finest chamber musicians in this country. But the marketing gurus are trying to make classical "sexy," which is not altogether a thing that I'm happy with. It should be a matter of quality versus aesthetic appeal. Though the latter helps, of course...

[EDIT: Of course there are now more women than ever in music, classical and otherwise. So inevitably we will get more images of them in the marketing of music products.]

[SonicMan46]

 

Yes, Conor, Steinbacher is quite attractive.

Recently acquired several discs w/ Arabella - one of the inside photos (added above right) was rather 'inviting' - 

[Todd]

Maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously

Yes, you are taking it too seriously.  Besides, the women selected as beautiful in this thread (and elsewhere) are big girls and know exactly what they are doing when they pose for glamour shots.  I'd be surprised if they wouldn't be able to opt out, though that is a possibility. 

I dare say if there were more hunks in classical that labels would be exploiting them as well.  Indeed, some male artists have layouts every bit as lavish as women artists, though they seem to be less common.  Do you complain about those as well?

Ultimately it is only artistry that matters; I'll take an ugly genius over a beautiful mediocrity anytime.

[Lethevich]

Sorry to sound like some feminist like Germaine Greer from the '60's, but I feel somewhat uncomfortable discussing physical sex appeal when talking about female instrumentalists.

Same - just ignore it.

[snyprrr]

Are any of these girls 18??

[snyprrr]

Different (bow) strokes for different folks!



Ray Chen

coffee on monitor,.. hahaha!!

[Mirror Image]

Anne Akiko Meyers is pretty easy on the eyes as well...

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

A more interesting question is whether you would actually buy a recording based on the physical attractiveness of the artist. I can't imagine doing so. If I want to look at attractive women, I have a zillion other more appropriate outlets for doing so than CD covers.

Imagine if we applied this kind of standard to composers. All the Bruckner on my shelf would have to go...

[Mirror Image]

A more interesting question is whether you would actually buy a recording based on the physical attractiveness of the artist. I can't imagine doing so. If I want to look at attractive women, I have a zillion other more appropriate outlets for doing so than CD covers.

Imagine if we applied this kind of standard to composers. All the Bruckner on my shelf would have to go...

I think if somebody bought a classical recording based on the fact that there was a good looking woman on the cover then they need to quit listening to classical music, because that defeats the whole purpose of listening and also has nothing to do with the actual music. Classical marketing has always been something that I have had little patience for with all the hotshot posing and chicness of these performers on the front covers. Honestly, I don't even know why they put pictures of the conductors on the front covers either. I mean this is such an eyesore for me. When it comes to classical covers, I've always liked Hyperion's and Chandos' covers probably the best. They at least have some class about them and aren't trying to shamelessly promote their latest sex goddess.

[karlhenning]

. . . I smell a fair bit of sexism here. Maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously, but a lot of people would say we tend to focus on the niceness or prettiness of females as versus males. It doesn't matter that violinists like Menuhin or Oistrakh or Stern were not hunks. We don't focus on that at all.

I think one of the power levers here turns upon the pronoun we.  Economics have always driven some directorial decisions in the music distribution industry, and its production back-channel;  and that is becoming more (not less) true in the face both of turbulent changes in the nature of media distribution, and of the global economic travails.  That the decisions do not necessarily align as neatly with desired economic effect as the Deciders imagine, has never mattered:  such decisions become institutionalized. Example 1:  The "child prodigy" factor (young talent, yes; unknown non-young performer, no . . . unless he's a blind Italian).  Example 2:  The "eye candy" factor under present discussion.

Ultimately it is only artistry that matters; I'll take an ugly genius over a beautiful mediocrity anytime.

Trust me as a composer who hasn't let go of his abstract idealism, even while keeping an eye on the realities of the road:  your remark here, Todd, suggests just a degree of naïveté.  You'll take Moxie over Coca-Cola anytime, but perhaps Moxie has been bought up by the Coca-Cola company, and maybe the supermarkets in your area don't put any Moxie on the shelves.

But I admire the firmness of your conviction here, so let me ask your advice:  How does a young lady violinist who cannot quite compete in the Swimsuit Division here get her break?  This is not an abstract question;  in fact I know of such a player, and she's enormously talented, and she's working very hard and traveling a lot.  But – guess what! She's missing from our little pin-up gallery here.

And why confine ourselves to violinists?  I know also of a young lady clarinetist, part of a hard-working duo.

How do these talented women get a contract with a distributor, so that then you can exercise your visually impartial, musically-driven selection faculties?
[ Edit :: typos ]

[(poco) Sforzando]

coffee on monitor,.. hahaha!!

Some people consider Joshua Bell very good-looking too. My impression when I saw him live from a 4th-row seat was that he was actually rather homely.

[Grazioso]

Maybe I'm taking this a bit too seriously, but a lot of people would say we tend to focus on the niceness or prettiness of females as versus males.

You are. And of course we do: men enjoy ogling women. Just biology at work. That said...

A more interesting question is whether you would actually buy a recording based on the physical attractiveness of the artist.

Good heavens, no. The looks of the artist and/or composer are totally irrelevant to what I buy. I might find a CD cover attractive as design or art, but it has no bearing on my buying it or not. I want to listen to music.

Now, as Sid suggests, opera is a different matter since that's a dramatic medium that you don't merely listen to, but also watch. Vocal production aside, I would first and foremost like to see singers that suit the roles. If the character is supposed to be a sexy young lady, then she should look like this


Anna Netrebko

or


Eva-Maria Westbroek as Anna Nicole Smith in the new Turnage opera

Honestly, I don't even know why they put pictures of the conductors on the front covers either. I mean this is such an eyesore for me.

That's a pet peeve of mine, too, even more so when the conductor's name is printed larger than the composer's. But I guess that whole cult-of-the-conductor thing has been selling albums (and before that, drawing radio audiences) for decades, so why stop?

[Scarpia]

But I admire the firmness of your conviction here, so let me ask your advice:  How does a young lady violinist who cannot quite compete in the Swimsuit Division here get her break?  This is not an abstract question;  in fact I know of such a player, and she's enormously talented, and she's working very hard and traveling a lot.  But – guess what! She's missing from our little pin-up gallery here.

And why confine ourselves to violinists?  I know also of a young lady clarinetist, part of a hard-working duo.

How do these talented women get a contract with a distributor, so that then you can exercise your visually impartial, musically-driven selection faculties?
[ Edit :: typos ]

That is the crux of it.   It has now become customary for every female performer to be a glamour queen and given that there seems to be an overabundance of talented young performers compared to the opportunity, it is easy to imagine physically unattractive performers being out of contention.  Even if you claim to make your choice without reference to the glamorous images, the ugly ducklings are weeded out at an earlier stage.

Mutter was somehow retro-actively made glamorous.  Would we have ever heard of her if todays standards applied in 1978 when she started?

[Grazioso]

That is the crux of it.   It has now become customary for every [emphasis added] female performer to be a glamour queen and given that there seems to be an overabundance of talented young performers compared to the opportunity, it is easy to imagine physically unattractive performers being out of contention. 

I take your point, but do you have any hard data to back that supposition?

[Todd]

But I admire the firmness of your conviction here, so let me ask your advice:  How does a young lady violinist who cannot quite compete in the Swimsuit Division here get her break?  This is not an abstract question;  in fact I know of such a player, and she's enormously talented, and she's working very hard and traveling a lot.  But – guess what! She's missing from our little pin-up gallery here.

First of all, I'm not sure the analogy you used is entirely apt, though I know what you're getting at.  Second, to the point of this question, I don't know the business side of the performing arts and what it takes to get a break, etc.  When I buy a recording or a ticket to a performance, the looks of the artist(s) are not important.  For instance, moving into another genre, I'd take a Deborah Voigt recording over an Anna Netrebko recording any day.  Perhaps looks are more important to others, and if that's what drives sales, that's what drives sales.  Looks like money needs to be siphoned from well-heeled, idealistic benefactors to create a more level playing field.  Perhaps when their trust funds are a bit healthier.

It will always be possible to say that this or that artist is not getting a fair chance, and that it may be related to physical attractiveness, and perhaps sometimes it's true.  Perhaps sometimes it's not.  I guess a related question is this: Is this an entirely new phenomenon?  Was there no hint of this in decades and centuries past?  Would it be possible to divine a slightly easier road for the more beautiful soprano or pianist, for instance?