David Hurwitz

[DavidW]

On Classics Today most of the reviews of Herreweghe's recordings are negative, and the ones that are positive are mostly by Distler or Carr and not Hurwitz.  There is your summary.  Move on.  You lost this one.

[Florestan]

Well you just read that wrong.  I believe Poju.  I was just shocked that Hurwitz would promote a recording from a conductor that he has spent so long bashing.  I don't need to watch the video, Poju never lies.

Ah, okay, my bad then, I apologize.

[Madiel]

On Classics Today most of the reviews of Herreweghe's recordings are negative, and the ones that are positive are mostly by Distler or Carr and not Hurwitz.  There is your summary.  Move on.  You lost this one.

It doesn't take very long to actually search the reviews in question and find out that your memory is faulty.  This is simply false. I'm not going to move on, I'm going to type out a list if you don't go and actually look.

Edit: as you'll see below, I most definitely did not lose this one.

[Madiel]

There are only the following reviews of the conductor Hurwitz has supposedly spent "so long bashing". You'd think there'd be more, but no. I'll just put the artistic score. This includes reviews by "Classics Today" where it isn't totally clear whether Hurwitz was the reviewer.

1. Bach St Matthew Passion Herreweghe's 1st recording: insider review so score not visible but it's his reference recording (consistent with the new video)

2. Brahms Symphony no.4: 6/10

3. Monteverdi Vespers: insider review but it's his reference recording (again consistent with one of his videos)

4. Beethoven symphonies 4 & 7: 5/10

5. Mahler symphony 4: 3/10

6. Stravinsky: 9/10

7. Bruckner symphony 5: 7/10

8. Bach St Matthew Passion Herreweghe's 2nd recording: 10/10

9. Beethoven symphonies 1&3: 5/10

10. Bach Cantatas 29, 119, 120: 10/10

11. Bruckner symphony 4: 6/10

12. Schubert/Mendlessohn ("Classics Today" review): 9/10

13. Lassus motets ("Classics Today" review): 8/10

14. Schumann concertos ("Classics Today" review): 9/10

15. Rameau: 8/10

And that's the complete list. 12 reviews definitely attributable to him, half of which are 8/10 of better. Plus 3 more that might or might not be his that are all positive.

Understood? Even if I set the bar at 8/10 we get at least half of reviews meeting that mark.

It's time to end the bullshit caricatures.

[71 dB]

Poju never lies.

Thanks for the trust! 

[Scion7]

He remains a dullard.

Much better reviewers and sites out there.

[Madiel]

Oh @DavidW you're needed here after the move.

[Madiel]

He remains a dullard.

Much better reviewers and sites out there.

Thank you for that playground-level assessment.

[Baxcalibur]

Okay, might as well throw my hat in the ring.

The way that Hurwitz replies to Youtube commenters who disagree with him is often disrespectful. It makes me resent how the search results are full of his videos when I'm just searching for a piece to listen to.

It's really amazing that this man has the online following he has. We live in a time when streaming services and video sites have made it easier than ever to listen for yourself and form your own opinions.

[DavidW]

SECOND EDIT: And if YOU bothered searching Classics Today you would find his existing rave reviews of Herreweghe's Bach.

That is nearly all David Vernier reviews, but I concede the point that DH is not as overwhelmingly negative as I vaguely recalled.

[Madiel]

That is nearly all David Vernier reviews, but I concede the point that DH is not as overwhelmingly negative as I vaguely recalled.

...I'm tempted to go back and explicitly count how many of the reviews are by Vernier, but it's less than half of the total.

So no, it is not nearly all David Vernier reviews. There are 35 reviews in total and only 20 left that I haven't already mentioned. Why persist with these kind of statements that can be objectively disproved?

You also claimed that most of the reviews of Herreweghe, by anyone, were negative. This is false. Search for Herreweghe reviews on the site. It's not rocket science, and yet somehow you still can't be bothered to check.

[71 dB]

The way that Hurwitz replies to Youtube commenters who disagree with him is often disrespectful.

It's really amazing that this man has the online following he has.

DH is a provocateur and should be interpreted as such. He makes it very clear the opinions he expresses are his own subjective opinions and he acknowledges other people may have differing opinions. He also gives explanations/justifications for his opinions. He seems to be willing to change his mind if need be. He does a lot to educate people new to classical music for example making videos about the key works to get into composer X etc.

I find DH an interesting and entertaining person to listen to for his vast knowledge of classical music and different recordings and for his colourful language/funny mannerisms. I don't take him too seriously and I understand how some things he says are expressed tongue on the cheek. In my opinion it is childish and thin-skinned to be offended by him. I don't always agree with him, but I know I can learn from him. I have to say watching his videos somehow takes my mind completely off the problems in the World. That is a huge plus for me! 

DH's online following is based on several things in my opinion. He is provocative and he makes tons of informative videos (several every day). His videos are also harmless from the point of Youtube algorithms (no controversial politics and sensitive topics) and he has the connections to have permission to use sound clips from recordings. So, his channel isn't shadow-banned. There are no reasons why he shouldn't have a large following.

[Florestan]

DH is a provocateur and should be interpreted as such. He makes it very clear the opinions he expresses are his own subjective opinions and he acknowledges other people may have differing opinions. He also gives explanations/justifications for his opinions. He seems to be willing to change his mind if need be. He does a lot to educate people new to classical music for example making videos about the key works to get into composer X etc.

I find DH an interesting and entertaining person to listen to for his vast knowledge of classical music and different recordings and for his colourful language/funny mannerisms. I don't take him too seriously and I understand how some things he says are expressed tongue on the cheek. In my opinion it is childish and thin-skinned to be offended by him. I don't always agree with him, but I know I can learn from him. I have to say watching his videos somehow takes my mind completely off the problems in the World. That is a huge plus for me! 

DH's online following is based on several things in my opinion. He is provocative and he makes tons of informative videos (several every day). His videos are also harmless from the point of Youtube algorithms (no controversial politics and sensitive topics) and he has the connections to have permission to use sound clips from recordings. So, his channel isn't shadow-banned. There are no reasons why he shouldn't have a large following.

Excellent post.

[Karl Henning]

In my opinion it is childish and thin-skinned to be offended by him.

Of course. Just a point of clarification on my side, it is no question of being offended by any opinion he expresses. I express opinions all the time, and my opinion of Hurwitz is that he is largely an ass in whose opinions I take no interest.

[Madiel]

DH's online following is based on several things in my opinion. He is provocative and he makes tons of informative videos (several every day). His videos are also harmless from the point of Youtube algorithms (no controversial politics and sensitive topics) and he has the connections to have permission to use sound clips from recordings. So, his channel isn't shadow-banned. There are no reasons why he shouldn't have a large following.

Add to that a lack of rivals as far as I can see. There are certainly elements of his style that I could do without, but... who else is actually supplying this market? I've found a few other channels discussing pieces of classical music (mostly the same old warhorses, but I did find one guy discussing Beethoven's "Moonlight" sonata in a way that was genuinely interesting and informative, so I'll go back to him), but in terms of archives of reviews and recommending recordings there really doesn't seem to be much that isn't behind a paywall (eg Gramophone magazine, Fanfare). The nearest equivalent is the BBC Record Review / Building a Library which to some extent is available, but there are significant restrictions for anyone outside the UK.

So yes, one reason for Hurwitz' popularity and prominence when you go searching for this sort of information is a lack of other people supplying it.

[Florestan]

Of course. Just a point of clarification on my side, it is no question of being offended by any opinion he expresses. I express opinions all the time, and my opinion of Hurwitz is that he is largely an ass in whose opinions I take no interest.

Honest and straightforward. Not unlike DH himself, actually. 

[Karl Henning]

Honest and straightforward. Not unlike DH himself, actually. 

I appreciate that you equably allow both DH his opinion and me, mine. 😉

[AnotherSpin]

Of course. Just a point of clarification on my side, it is no question of being offended by any opinion he expresses. I express opinions all the time, and my opinion of Hurwitz is that he is largely an ass in whose opinions I take no interest.

I've said before, I rarely agree with Hurwitz. Although I listen to him extremely seldom because I don't have the patience for long videos. I'd prefer it if he had a Twitter feed. Anyway, although I don't agree, I'm usually interested in what he has to say.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I do appreciate his enthusiasm for many of the works that he discusses.  Hopefully, he's helping encourage newer classical listeners to check out more works and explore more composers and their music.

And, yes, short of subscribing to classical music magazines, and even with that, it can be rather daunting to figure out where/how to start dipping ones toe in (or which pool to wade around in).

PD

[DavidW]

I've said before, I rarely agree with Hurwitz. Although I listen to him extremely seldom because I don't have the patience for long videos. I'd prefer it if he had a Twitter feed. Anyway, although I don't agree, I'm usually interested in what he has to say.

Yes I used to read his reviews because they were the opposite.  Concisely written, not half an hour of endless blather.