David Hurwitz

[AnotherSpin]

[...]

" Perfection " is neither achievable nor, in fact, even detectable, given the limitations of human senses and intellect.

[...]

From my purely subjective perspective, perfection is not just attainable—it is our inherent, original essence. Our mental activity clouds and distorts it, sometimes beyond recognition. The good news is that returning to this state isn't difficult at all. In fact, we do it many times throughout the day—imperceptibly to our own mind.

[hopefullytrusting]

For me, classical music has reached perfection once: Beethoven's 9th Symphony, 4th Movement, Adagio ma non troppo ma divoto (when all the voices fall silent and only the instruments remain; perfection ends when the voices return).

EDIT: Specifically, this recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn0IS-vlwCI (from 01:16:22 to 01:16:51).

[Xerxes]

What's more, if you're score-reading at a concert, you miss the visual aspect of it (or most of it, anyway).

I was in the Musikverein several years ago when sitting up near the organ during a piano recital.  We couldn't see the stage and a fellow was reading from the (Beethoven) score.  That made sense to me.

[Kalevala]

I was in the Musikverein several years ago when sitting up near the organ during a piano recital.  We couldn't see the stage and a fellow was reading from the (Beethoven) score.  That made sense to me.

I wonder though how much doing that distracts the listener from actually listening to the concert and immersing themselves in the music and the performance and enjoying it (or not)?  I realize that we're all different though in how we listen to music.

K

[Xerxes]

I wonder though how much doing that distracts the listener from actually listening to the concert and immersing themselves in the music and the performance and enjoying it (or not)?  I realize that we're all different though in how we listen to music.

K

Good point, though he seemed thoroughly immersed in the score-reading.  I wonder what the point if of seating people where they have no chance of seeing what is going on with performers?  It's the same on the Balkon Loge;  you have to stand up when seated in one of those 3 rows of seats.  On the Parterre Loge (downstairs) you cannot see if somebody next to you moves his/her head forward.  All these things have happened to me.  Meanwhile, up the back upstairs you are so far from the platform you cannot really see anything clearly!!

[DavidW]

Good point, though he seemed thoroughly immersed in the score-reading.  I wonder what the point if of seating people where they have no chance of seeing what is going on with performers?  It's the same on the Balkon Loge;  you have to stand up when seated in one of those 3 rows of seats.  On the Parterre Loge (downstairs) you cannot see if somebody next to you moves his/her head forward.  All these things have happened to me.  Meanwhile, up the back upstairs you are so far from the platform you cannot really see anything clearly!!

I think you've outlined well the price tiers at the concert hall!

[Herman]

A piano recital is just a guy (or woman) behind a piano. So at a certain point you're done watching his / her every move.
At least that's it for me.

The issue here could be 'control'. Someone who's intent on reading the score / be seen reading the score, wants to stay in control of the music.
That's not IMO what a concert / recital is about.

[Florestan]

I wonder what the point if of seating people where they have no chance of seeing what is going on with performers?

Blame it on the architects, I'd say.

[Florestan]

A piano recital is just a guy (or woman) behind a piano. So at a certain point you're done watching his / her every move.
At least that's it for me.

Liszt would like to have a word with you. 

And to me at least it makes all the difference in the world if the pianist is Yuja Wang instead of Martha Argerich (strictly visually speaking, of course.) 

The issue here could be 'control'. Someone who's intent on reading the score / be seen reading the score, wants to stay in control of the music.
That's not IMO what a concert / recital is about.

Agreed.

[Herman]

Liszt would like to have a word with you. 

He's welcome, as long as he leaves my GF alone.
Liszt rarely (if ever) performed in big halls.
The salle Pleyel was about it.
Most of today's big halls had yet to be built.

[Florestan]

He's welcome.
Liszt rarely (if ever) performed in big halls.
The salle Pleyel was about it.
Most of today's big halls had yet to be built.

That's kind of my point. Liszt's antics at the piano were an integral part of the recital; Schumann said something to the effect that if one closed their eyes, half of the magic would disappear.

[(poco) Sforzando]

That's kind of my point. Liszt's antics at the piano were an integral part of the recital; Schumann said something to the effect that if one closed their eyes, half of the magic would disappear.

Is this true of Yuja Wang as well?

[Florestan]

Is this true of Yuja Wang as well?

I don't know, I never closed my eyes when seeing her live. 

[Karl Henning]

The issue here could be 'control'. Someone who's intent on reading the score / be seen reading the score, wants to stay in control of the music.
That's not IMO what a concert / recital is about.

On the second point, I agree. As to the first, the issue could observation and learning.

[lordlance]

Dave mentions in the video that Macelaru uses the version of the First Symphony with fewer percussive instruments which makes me curious - which recordings exist with the full uncut percussion? In my book more percussion = more goodness.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Dave mentions in the video that Macelaru uses the version of the First Symphony with fewer percussive instruments which makes me curious - which recordings exist with the full uncut percussion? In my book more percussion = more goodness.

Slatkin heightens the drama of Symphony No. 1 by adding extra percussion to the fiery first movement (Victor Carr Jr.)

Macelaru does not use the version with the excess percussion, which is correct by the way (Hurwitz)

Petrenko uses the "full percussion" version, with glockenspiel, cymbals, and bass drum in the "bell" episode in the central development section, and then adds some more besides here and there. I can't say that it helps in any meaningful way, but there's no denying the excitement. (Hurwitz)

[Brian]

Well, something surprising has happened! For the first time since the pandemic began (I think), Hurwitz has written a new review for his website rather than posting it as a video. Since the "pivot to video" and the death of David Vernier, CT.com has basically been Jed Distler's blog, with occasional repostings of years-old reviews pretending they are new.

I was so surprised to see a new DH review that I looked up the CD in question and verified it really is a new release. (It's fluffy Americana music by Michael Daugherty.)

[Kalevala]

Well, something surprising has happened! For the first time since the pandemic began (I think), Hurwitz has written a new review for his website rather than posting it as a video. Since the "pivot to video" and the death of David Vernier, CT.com has basically been Jed Distler's blog, with occasional repostings of years-old reviews pretending they are new.

I was so surprised to see a new DH review that I looked up the CD in question and verified it really is a new release. (It's fluffy Americana music by Michael Daugherty.)

Brian, there's a new video which was posted 20 minutes ago on Beethoven's "Eroica".

K

EDIT:  I do also see a video there (from about 5 hours ago) of a Michael Daugherty CD too.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Well, something surprising has happened! For the first time since the pandemic began (I think), Hurwitz has written a new review for his website rather than posting it as a video. Since the "pivot to video" and the death of David Vernier, CT.com has basically been Jed Distler's blog, with occasional repostings of years-old reviews pretending they are new.

I was so surprised to see a new DH review that I looked up the CD in question and verified it really is a new release. (It's fluffy Americana music by Michael Daugherty.)

My excitement on hearing this news knows no bounds.