David Hurwitz

[Mirror Image]

How deep you find his knowledge kind of depends on your own knowledge.

As others have noted, he says a lot of ignorant things.

Yeah, I don't subscribe to the Hurwitz fan club and never have liked him since I started to seriously dive into this music. His opinion isn't any more viable or important than my own. It's pretty sickening the amount of people that kiss his ass and shower him with superlatives. The man has done NOTHING. He's just a man with an opinion.

[Karl Henning]

Great review, Karl! Well done.
And look at you cleverly grabbing clicks from a thread dedicated to hating on Hurwitz. But be careful, become too controversial and we might start a new thread about you 

Damn it, I knew the risks!

[Mirror Image]

Damn it, I knew the risks!

And Karl, your review, on the other hand, was informative and actually was enjoyable to read even if I'm not particularly interested in the repertoire that you were reviewing.

[Florestan]

How deep you find his knowledge kind of depends on your own knowledge.

As others have noted, he says a lot of ignorant things.

There is a Zen story which applies exactly to you and the Hurwitzer.

[TheGSMoeller]

It's pretty sickening the amount of people that kiss his ass and shower him with superlatives. The man has done NOTHING. He's just a man with an opinion.

John, you seem outraged. It's alright to not like him or his criticism, but don't let it get to you too much. 

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

+1 Regardless of whether or not I agree with his opinions, I find his videos enormously entertaining (I legitimately laugh out loud quite frequently during them) and his enthusiasm for music is so infectious. Not to mention he has so much knowledge of and enthusiasm for both the standard repertoire and lesser-known music (mainly orchestral, that is, but understandable since he's a percussionist).

Yeah, he never forgets to mention the tam-tam, if there's a part for it.

Otherwise - he's just a guy who's listened to a ton of recordings, has his own prejudices and blind spots, and is fairly upfront about them. As such, he's as useful or not as most critics.

[ritter]

I am one of those who enjoy the Hurwitz videos. Many times I don't agree with what he says, other times I don't give a damn about what he says (in the sense that I won't watch a video on a piece/composer/artist/recording I have no interest in), but other times there is informative stuff in his speeches, and they tend to be entertaining (bad jokes and all).

The man has gained some points with me recently, though  : I listened to the Pfitzner Piano Concerto once (some 25 years ago), and the thought of it still gives me shivers. One of the ugliest pieces of music by a (kinda) major composer I've ever encountered.   

[Brian]

I'm one who actually loves the Hurwitzer's videos on Youtube very much & all criticism of it leaves me cold. 

I enjoy them. I don't watch regularly, but Monday listened to his Elgar and Zubin Mehta videos and a couple others while cleaning the bathroom. They're fun, and some of the people here are taking them waaaay too seriously.

[Brian]

The man has done NOTHING.

He's a former orchestral musician who arranged American premieres of a number of big European works like George Lloyd symphonies.

[Mirror Image]

He's a former orchestral musician who arranged American premieres of a number of big European works like George Lloyd symphonies.

And, yet, I still stand by my initial comment.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

It's pretty sickening the amount of people that kiss his ass and shower him with superlatives.

Who, for instance?

He's a former orchestral musician who arranged American premieres of a number of big European works like George Lloyd symphonies.

He's also written some guidebooks to some big-name composers (Mahler and Haydn, maybe others). You can like these books or not, but I think they count as "something."

[Todd]

They're fun, and some of the people here are taking them waaaay too seriously.

This.

[Mirror Image]

John, you seem outraged. It's alright to not like him or his criticism, but don't let it get to you too much. 

I'm not outraged just more puzzled that people put so much stock into his opinion.

[ritter]

I don't really think people put much stock in his opinions, they're simply entertained by him (that's my case, at least).

Good day, John!

[Mirror Image]

I don't really think people put much stock in his opinions, they're simply entertained by him (that's my case, at least).

Good day, John!

I sure hope that's the case. G'day to you as well, Rafael.

[Karl Henning]

He's also written some guidebooks to some big-name composers (Mahler and Haydn, maybe others). You can like these books or not, but I think they count as "something."

Indeed.

[kyjo]

He's a former orchestral musician who arranged American premieres of a number of big European works like George Lloyd symphonies.

Well, he's certainly got my respect for that!

And yeah, a lot of folks here are taking him wayyyy too seriously. Music is, of course, so subjective and we can't get offended whenever someone has a different opinion of it than we do. Yes, he has strong opinions, but he nowhere does he state (to my knowledge) that his opinion is the last word or that it's above anyone else's. He's simply another music lover sharing his thoughts.

[Karl Henning]

I don't follow his blog, nor do I place any importance on his reviews.  But, he is an ass.   

Word.

[Mirror Image]

I don't follow his blog, nor do I place any importance on his reviews.  But, he is an ass.   

Absolutely.

[kyjo]

The man has gained some points with me recently, though  : I listened to the Pfitzner Piano Concerto once (some 25 years ago), and the thought of it still gives me shivers. One of the ugliest pieces of music by a (kinda) major composer I've ever encountered.   

Did you listen past the first movement? It's definitely the weakest of the four; the remaining three are much stronger IMO, especially the middle two. The boisterous scherzo is really catchy and the intimate slow movement quite lovely.