Hilary Hahn

[Moonfish]

[posting here and in the Bruch thread]

I watched and listened to Hilary Hahn performing Bruch's Violin Concerto #1 last night and it was mesmerizing. I find her playing outstanding, but I'm a bit biased. Besides, there is a reason why Bruch's VC #1 belongs in the realm of popular concertos in the repertoire. I wish that Hahn was recording more of her performances.

https://www.youtube.com/v/KDJ6Wbzgy3E

[ChopinBroccoli]

While sex has always sold to some extent, it is rather odd that a large number of "star" soloists under say 40 are suddenly all hot

Hard to imagine goofy looking bastards like Murray Perahia or Clifford Curzon, for example being big stars if they were 30 in today's market ... It makes you wonder who we're NOT hearing about.  This is not to suggest a person can't be both physically attractive and a great musician but it used to be unusual and that's a little suspicious.

[Moonfish]

I've noted this particular trend as well, but personally I think more about the music and Hahn's ability to play the violin. She comes across as a performer that is attuned to music rather than marketing. After all, she is not cranking out album after album. The discography is minimal.
I very much enjoyed the Bruch concerto. 

[Daverz]

Hahn is an attractive young woman, but she's not on the Yuja level.

[ChopinBroccoli]

Yuja's technical ability is phenomenal, she would be noted even if she wasn't wearing a tight dress ... I've never heard a recording by her that I've wanted to buy because her playing just doesn't captivate me in any real way but there's a whole bunch of famous, very funny looking male pianists I could say that about and most of them don't have her chops, either. 

Hillary I couldn't really comment on as I'm not a big listener of violin soloists in general ... she seems to get good marks from people whose opinions I respect a lot so I'm sure she's excellent

I was only making a general observation about the trend; some of the "hotties" are likely the real deal, I just doubt that all of them are

[Mirror Image]

Hahn is an attractive young woman, but she's not on the Yuja level.

Yuja is pretty cute, but I'm much more attracted to Olga Scheps:

[Mandryka]

While sex has always sold to some extent, it is rather odd that a large number of "star" soloists under say 40 are suddenly all hot

Hard to imagine goofy looking bastards like Murray Perahia or Clifford Curzon, for example being big stars if they were 30 in today's market ... It makes you wonder who we're NOT hearing about.  This is not to suggest a person can't be both physically attractive and a great musician but it used to be unusual and that's a little suspicious.

I don't think it is any different now than before. Think how Glen Gould, Christopher Rousset  and Scot Ross cultivated their image to catch the pink market, for example.

.    . 

[Jo498]

I don't think it is so simple. Mutter became famous as a chubby teenager and matured into an attractive woman only many years later (She looks relatively better now in her 50s than she did in her 20s when she was more average while quite presentable). Hahn used to look extremely young even well into her twenties but not particularly "sexy" and she was not presented aggressively in such way.

But it certainly doesn't hurt either gender in the music business to be good looking.

[CRCulver]

While sex has always sold to some extent, it is rather odd that a large number of "star" soloists under say 40 are suddenly all hot

Hard to imagine goofy looking bastards like Murray Perahia or Clifford Curzon, for example being big stars if they were 30 in today's market ... It makes you wonder who we're NOT hearing about.  This is not to suggest a person can't be both physically attractive and a great musician but it used to be unusual and that's a little suspicious.

I have heard it said by industry insiders that there is such a glut of talent these days – conservatories are producing more excellent performers than will ever find jobs – that promoters and labels can afford to choose only the most attractive-looking among them.

[ChopinBroccoli]

Wouldn't surprise me at all
 

[Moonfish]

I find it sad that the Hahn thread has turned into a discussion about marketing and sexism in the music industry. Surely Hahn's performances and recordings deserve better?

[ChopinBroccoli]

I find it sad that the Hahn thread has turned into a discussion about marketing and sexism in the music industry. Surely Hahn's performances and recordings deserve better?

That topic was introduced on the very first page... and numerous posters have made it clear they are not necessarily referring to Hahn in particular when discussing what is a readily apparent phenomena among the major labels ... DG (for decades a standard bearer of musical excellence- however overrated it sometimes was) have on numerous occasions in the last two decades put out albums that are utterly pointless... tepid, routine performances of standard repertoire that add absolutely nothing to the library but which are decorated with images of the unusually handsome young conductor, the fetchingly sexy violinist, the mysterious pianist with a 5-o'clock shadow, the busty soprano ... this is a definite thing that is happening... is this happening with Hahn?  I can't say.  My interest in her instrument and its repertoire is too small.  But I know it's happening in repertoire that does interest me so I'm sure the violin is no different... is Vanessa Mae bringing something to the violin repertoire that actually stands out in any meaningful way or is she merely a competent instrumentalist who happens to look fabulous on an album cover?   

Khatia Buniatishvili is absolutely permitted to make records for a major label because she's hot.  I don't see how one could really argue with that.  In the repertoire she plays, she's a NAXOS pianist if this is 1995.  There is literally nothing positive about her performances that in any way distinguishes them in the repertoire she favors (which happens to be the most saturated there is) to the point a major label issuing them makes any artistic sense ... Pianists both eminent and eminently forgettable were making recordings of the exact same things from the earliest days of recorded sound and the number of more insightful, more profound, technically superior, more charming, etc recordings than hers numbers in the hundreds ... but she has a really nice figure

Of course there are exceptions... Yuja Wang really is an extraordinary technician... I don't care for her playing style in most things she does but she's a major talent and I think she's a musician of such unusual skill that she'd probably still be well known even if she looked like Bruckner in drag but there's no doubt that her appearance is something she and her label cash in on

[Jo498]

Vanessa Mae was before 1995, so this is a much older trend!

[ChopinBroccoli]

Vanessa Mae was before 1995, so this is a much older trend!

Ok, so THREE decades 

[Moonfish]

That topic was introduced on the very first page... and numerous posters have made it clear they are not necessarily referring to Hahn in particular when discussing what is a readily apparent phenomena among the major labels ... DG (for decades a standard bearer of musical excellence- however overrated it sometimes was) have on numerous occasions in the last two decades put out albums that are utterly pointless... tepid, routine performances of standard repertoire that add absolutely nothing to the library but which are decorated with images of the unusually handsome young conductor, the fetchingly sexy violinist, the mysterious pianist with a 5-o'clock shadow, the busty soprano ... this is a definite thing that is happening... is this happening with Hahn?  I can't say.  My interest in her instrument and its repertoire is too small.  But I know it's happening in repertoire that does interest me so I'm sure the violin is no different... is Vanessa Mae bringing something to the violin repertoire that actually stands out in any meaningful way or is she merely a competent instrumentalist who happens to look fabulous on an album cover?   

Khatia Buniatishvili is absolutely permitted to make records for a major label because she's hot.  I don't see how one could really argue with that.  In the repertoire she plays, she's a NAXOS pianist if this is 1995.  There is literally nothing positive about her performances that in any way distinguishes them in the repertoire she favors (which happens to be the most saturated there is) to the point a major label issuing them makes any artistic sense ... Pianists both eminent and eminently forgettable were making recordings of the exact same things from the earliest days of recorded sound and the number of more insightful, more profound, technically superior, more charming, etc recordings than hers numbers in the hundreds ... but she has a really nice figure

Of course there are exceptions... Yuja Wang really is an extraordinary technician... I don't care for her playing style in most things she does but she's a major talent and I think she's a musician of such unusual skill that she'd probably still be well known even if she looked like Bruckner in drag but there's no doubt that her appearance is something she and her label cash in on

A poor excuse! So rename the thread then...

[ChopinBroccoli]

A poor excuse! So rename the thread then...

It's not my thread!

[Moonfish]

It's not my thread!

Then start a new one about sexism in the music industry somewhere in the diner.

[ChopinBroccoli]

Then start a new one about sexism in the music industry somewhere in the diner.

Why don't YOU start one called "Hillary Hahn's violin playing discussion- no deviation allowed"?

Threads go off track... it is the nature of conversation... this one went this way within three posts and you're here on page four trying to close Pandora's box 

[staxomega]

Khatia Buniatishvili is absolutely permitted to make records for a major label because she's hot.  I don't see how one could really argue with that.  In the repertoire she plays, she's a NAXOS pianist if this is 1995.  There is literally nothing positive about her performances that in any way distinguishes them in the repertoire she favors (which happens to be the most saturated there is) to the point a major label issuing them makes any artistic sense ... Pianists both eminent and eminently forgettable were making recordings of the exact same things from the earliest days of recorded sound and the number of more insightful, more profound, technically superior, more charming, etc recordings than hers numbers in the hundreds ... but she has a really nice figure

No denying she is one of the most attractive musicians in classical music, but she does deserve being called a serious musician. I saw her play D960, and outside of some minor slips only noticeable if you're familiar with the score this was a performance that could nearly stand along the ranks of Richter, Sokolov (aware there is no official releases of this) and Fiorentino in grand world moving execution. And she played the much needed repeat unlike another arrogant, academic type house pianist for another major label, turning in dry, mannered recording after recording. I do agree with you that she records much of the same popular repertoire, but that same thing can be said about any number of male and female (both attractive, unattractive, old and new) pianists recording these days. I can't say I have a grand desire to rush out and hear many of these works when I already have a handful or more reference performances.

IMHO the slam on Naxos pianists is also a bit unfair, I've heard many of them that could be recording on major labels. Maybe they lack the ability to market themself properly, something that is really needed if you aren't an established name living on from the old world of pianism. I am glad I only have to play piano for myself, I can't even imagine how stressful it must be trying to land jobs in this saturated market that someone else mentioned; matching into an absurdly competitive fellowship was one of the most stressful moments of my life that I have no desire to relive!

Not related to your post CB, this was a thread I started on how we can be prejudiced about preformed notions when it comes to any number of things in life, I know this plays a big effect in medicine and why we always do RCTs, and it is obvious with audiophiles as well when they can hear differences in all sorts of tweaks in sighted listening but can't detect them in blind listening.

A poor quality picture of Khatia from that concert to lighten up my post!

[aukhawk]

Many of the performers cited above first came to prominence as child (or very youthful) prodigies.  Sex appeal didn't enter into it unless you suppose that most music lovers are also paedophiles.  They probably did subsequently get very good image coaching to enhance their career prospects.