Pianists

[DavidRoss]

Why is it you mods never filter or delete the posts made by the passive-aggressive types who seem to dominate the forum these days?

Unnecessarily pointed comment purged.

[jochanaan]

I think you are confused. This thread is not about those pianists, nor is it about living pianists.

Oops!  My mistake.  I thought the thread was titled "Pianists," not "Dead Pianists."  Or even "Dead Male Pianists."

[uffeviking]

I don't read polls, neither do I participate in polls be they about pianists or politicians!

Now please scroll back to the U-Tube of Sokolov playing Beethoven, listen, close your eyes, relax and have a pleasant night! 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Why is it you mods never filter or delete the posts made by the passive-aggressive types who seem to dominate the forum these days?

George, have you considered listening to recordings in full before coming to your conclusions? I remember how you condemned Josef Hofmann's Moonlight Sonata. Then I learned that you had listened to it through an Amazon clip, and not even the full first movement. Do you realise that one of your idols, Rachmaninoff, thought Hofmann the greatest pianist he'd ever heard? Is that how you respect 2 geniuses, by slighting one and ignoring the other? At least have the decency and maturity to respond.

Well, if you're annoyed by the passive-aggressive types, then allow me to jettison the passive part.

You do understand that your constant whining is every bit as nauseating as the very stuff you're always on about? (Answer optional...)

And as far as this dumb little ditty:

Surely any comments on his mental state from any other than his own family and friends could only be uttered by absolute morons. The fact that you are even thinking about doing this puts you very close to that group.

You, yourself, once tried to convince me that Richter performed better in the east because he *quote* "felt more comfortable there". Which is what, exactly? Why, it's an attempt to assess his mental state! So if it's a . you're looking for, the mirror is right there...

Dear Don: Would you call ezodisy that name to his face, in a real meeting? Of course not, that's why I deleted it. - Have a pleasant evening, or morning, or whatever time of day it is where you are. 
uffeviking 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Dear Don: Would you call ezodisy that name to his face, in a real meeting? Of course not, that's why I deleted it.

I'd say 50/50. (kidding, Sid)

Interestingly enough, on another thread Monsieur Croche and I just had a most edifying chat about caustic knee-jerk responses. Seems I'm just as guilty as the next guy...

[knight66]

Yeah, I am one of those next guys too...sometimes it is just so satisifying to be savage and direct...but then the blood calms and the aftermath is not so great. That was a really positive exchange on the other thread. Sets me up for breakfast.

Mike

[Iago]

I still think "Liberace" should be on that list.

[ezodisy]

wow some great activity here last night.

Yes, it was clear from your post that you didn't read the poll. It doesn't change the fact that your were off topic.

maybe you should be a moderator, George.

Uffe, please take no notice of someone who isn't quite prepared to return the undeserved attention of a charming, sensitive woman.

Sokolov has failed to impress me in the past

Let's hope you gave him more than the 180 seconds that you allotted to Hofmann and, probably, Michelangeli.

You, yourself, once tried to convince me that Richter performed better in the east because he *quote* "felt more comfortable there". Which is what, exactly? Why, it's an attempt to assess his mental state! So if it's a . you're looking for, the mirror is right there...

One point you are missing Don -- Richter himself admitted that Russia was his home which he loved and felt comfortable in. That is a BIG difference from what George was trying to say about Michelangeli (Michelangeli, a genius at the piano, criticsed by someone who has only listened to a tiny percentage of his recordings once!). No, I don't have the relevant Richter quote at hand, though it's in the literature and I'm positive he expressed it more than once. For some reason you seem to ignore that. Anyway, it is fairly common knowledge among people who like and listen to him (barring perhaps one particular poster in this thread).

You do understand that your constant whining is every bit as nauseating as the very stuff you're always on about? (Answer optional...)

Don, I consider it an insult that you would call what I do whining. First of all I only wish to ever argue with those who have not given their time and attention before forming an opinion (like the poster above). I do NOT wish to argue with people who just have a different informed opinion. Second of all, far from whining I hope to follow Mike Tyson's example in a verbal-only manner: "I try to catch him right on the tip of the nose, because I try to push the bone into the brain."

Unnecessarily pointed comment purged.

David, I take it your comment was moderatored for issuing an unncessarily pointed comment towards one of the pianists in this thread. There is really no need for that. They are all dead, after all, and couldn't respond to defend themselves against your overly aggressive manner.

[DavidRoss]

David, I take it your comment was moderatored for issuing an unncessarily pointed comment towards one of the pianists in this thread. There is really no need for that. They are all dead, after all, and couldn't respond to defend themselves against your overly aggressive manner.

No, Tony, I just thought comment deleted for thoughtlessness Liberace's little dog, too!

[ezodisy]

Just to remind all involved how great a pianist Richter was:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDUTTRGOJdE

[jochanaan]

I still think "Liberace" should be on that list.

On what basis, Iago?

[mn dave]

On what basis, Iago?

Probably because Iago has the same fashion sense.

[knight66]

I still think "Liberace" should be on that list.

Well, he is dead, but he was not dead good.

Mike

[Iago]

On what basis, Iago?

It's just an opinion. And unlike the other professorial types, doyens of taste and aficionados of talent, that populate this forum,  I see no necessity to offer any reasons for an OPINION. And I also think that Skitch Henderson and Victor Borge belong on that list as well.

[Gurn Blanston]

It's just an opinion. And unlike the other professorial types, doyens of taste and aficionados of talent, that populate this forum,  I see no necessity to offer any reasons for an OPINION. And I also think that Skitch Henderson and Victor Borge belong on that list as well.

I saw Liberace many times when he was in his prime. He could really play the piano. Where he went wrong was in being an entertainer.   Borge made the same mistake, but in the rare moments when he seriously plays, he can.. seriously play. I thought Skitch Henderson played the oboe or something like that. 

Professor Blanston


----------------
Listening to:
Hummel Op 087 Piano Quintet - The Music Collection - Hummel Quintet in Eb for Piano & Strings Op 87 1st mvmt

[Gurn Blanston]

Why is it you mods never filter or delete the posts made by the passive-aggressive types who seem to dominate the forum these days?

Because diagnosing and attempting to cure a mental problem, if indeed that's what it is, is not in our brief. Even if I actually WAS a shrink, I wouldn't diagnose over an Internet forum.   I can't even be entirely sure that those who are unable to ignore the lure of a PA don't have problems of their own. So I, for one, avoid it altogether and stick to trying to Rodney King this herd of cats.



----------------
Listening to:
Hummel Op 087 Piano Quintet - The Music Collection - Hummel Quintet in Eb for Piano & Strings Op 87 2nd mvmt

[mn dave]

http://www.youtube.com/v/F-p47zawto8

[Holden]

Kitsch, Kitsch and more Kitsch!

[jochanaan]

It's just an opinion. And unlike the other professorial types, doyens of taste and aficionados of talent, that populate this forum,  I see no necessity to offer any reasons for an OPINION. And I also think that Skitch Henderson and Victor Borge belong on that list as well.

Fair enough.  And while I don't know Skitch about Henderson , I would certainly grant Borge a place among the greats--if only for "Phonetic Punctuation."

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Don, I consider it an insult that you would call what I do whining. First of all I only wish to ever argue with those who have not given their time and attention before forming an opinion (like the poster above).

But you're no saint either, Tony. You grandstand with the best of them. That's really what I'm driving at.

To illustrate my point there's the "Richter felt more comfortable in the east" thing. This is one of your pet ideas and granted is interesting to mull over and kick around with 'the gang' but really isn't borne out by anything empirical. IOW, it's campfire material that's little more than breezy, makeweight banter.

But that would be different if you could offer anything material to bolster such a stance. Then there would be no choice but to consider your theory and judge it accordingly.

But in the past when I've pressed you on the issue I get nothing that resembles "careful study" (time and attention, as you put it). At most I get comments that amount to "I'm able to pick it out by my superior skills of discernment" and such. And when further pressed on the issue things get even more fuzzy. In all our Richter east/west discussions you haven't offered one tangible bit of evidence to bolster such a claim. There's certainly nothing in the literature that overwhelmingly points to this. I should know, I've spent lots of time (years) reading about Richter. Which ticks me off even more since you've obviously read VERY little about the man. No one who's spent dedicated time actually studying the literature about Richter would come to your conclusion. NO ONE!

And that's the rub.

You then come onto this thread and take others to task when in reality it's your own storehouse that could use some tidying up.

Like I said, fireside chatting about the Richter/comfort issue is one thing (and fun ), but erudite discussion - which is how you frequently position yourself, I hasten to add - is quite another.

Anyway, to put some closure on this fine point about Richter's sympathies, here are a few snippets from Monsaingeon's Conversations and Notebooks that should effectively put the issue to bed:

In Richter's own words:

"I've never felt any difference between concerts in Russia and concerts abroad...[snip] I'm interested in everything new and, to tell the truth, I'd much rather have got to know the whole world than have to visit the same place twice." [p.95]

"Prague was the first foreign city I visited, in 1950. It remains one of my favourite cities, along with Venice, Paris and Vienna." [p.96]

"For years, the Fêtes Musicales de Touraine [his festival near Tours, France] were one of the greatest delights of my life. While touring France in the early sixties, I took time off to explore the Touraine and see for myself its famous châteaux. I was so attracted by them that I immediately thought of organizing concerts there. But their poor acoustics and the size of the rooms that were shown to me made this dream impossible, at least until the architect Pierre Boille told me about a thirteenth-century barn that seemed to meet my criteria, the Grange de Meslay. When I went there, it was full of hay and hens were running around everywhere, but I fell in love with it there and then. I asked for the necessary acoustic changes to be made, and we set to work. I'd imagined the Fêtes Musicales as a real celebration, in which music would be central to other delights and everyone would have time to meet everyone else, an idea that reflects the lightness of the place and of the air. [snip] I'm not always sure that the locals were aware of the quality of the programmes on offer, but the Fêtes Musicales were soon being talked about not just in France but elsewhere, too, and even as far afield as Russia." [p.151]

Pretty cool about the hens bit, huh?

So there it is. In general the above is the overriding theme of the book - that of an artist with a voracious appetite seeking sustenance in whatever province caught his fancy. East or west holding zero relevance...