David Hurwitz

[karlhenning]

That is actually a strikingly interesting opinion, and reading it makes me want to look at (and listen to) the Double Concerto afresh.

At ant rate, Hurwitz generally amplifies my normal tendency to think more of a fellow listener's likes, than of his dislikes.

[eyeresist]

Wow, Hurwitz really is an idiot.

He's entitled to his opinion, and you sure can't prove him wrong.  Personally, I like both of them equally.

Both of what?

[Catison]

Wow, Hurwitz really is an idiot.

Both of what?

Well, it appears Don is gone forever.  I think he was referring to the double and violin concerti.

But really, the Double Concerto is better than the other concertos.  Just look at the title.  Its twice as good!

[karlhenning]

But really, the Double Concerto is better than the other concertos.  Just look at the title.  Its twice as good!

(* chortle *)

[The new erato]

His latest gem:

"The viola da gamba usually sounds to me like a dying cow"

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11877

[Brian]

His latest gem:

"The viola da gamba usually sounds to me like a dying cow"

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11877

Dude, that's hilarious 

[karlhenning]

But, but . . . I know gamba players.

I'm not telling them.

[Catison]

His latest gem:

"The viola da gamba usually sounds to me like a dying cow"

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11877

I'm curious now.  When the viola da gamba isn't sounding like a dying cow, what dying animal does it sound like?

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'm curious now.  When the viola da gamba isn't sounding like a dying cow, what dying animal does it sound like?

Why do you assume it's either dying, or an animal?

[eyeresist]

Hurwitz used to work in an abattoir.

[M forever]

So did Dvořák.

[Lilas Pastia]

When was the last time Hurwitz saw a real open field with a real cow in it?

[eyeresist]

I've never seen Hurwitz and a cow in a room at the same time. 

[Brian]

I've never seen Hurwitz and a cow in a room at the same time. 

I'm going to avoid making the obvious joke here. 

[Superhorn]

    Sometimes I  agree  with  Hurwitz,  and  he  can  be   very  perceptive   about  some  composers,  and  sometimes  I  don't.  He  can  be  way  off  base  in  evaluating  the  quality of  different  orchestras   and comparing  them.  How  can  any  one  dismiss  the  magnificent  brass   section  of  the  Berlin  Philharmonic  as "weak"?.  Unbelievable.  This  is  like  calling  Arnold   Schwarzenegger  a  puny  weakling.  He  also  called  their  percussion  section  the  world's  worst,  and  a  "Joke".  In  all  my  years  of  listening  to  this  supremely  great  orchestra,  I  could  never  detect anything  wrong  with  the  percussion  section. 
   I   also  think  that  Max  Bruch  wrote  some  very  fine  music.  He  wouldn't  win  any  prizes  for  originality,  but  so  what?   I  have  the  Conlon/Cologne  set  of  the  three  symphonies  on  EMI,  and  they   are  very  attractive.  They  would  make  a  welcome  change at  concerts  from  the  same  old  Brahms  symphonies,  wonderful  as  those  are.  His oratorio   "The  Song  of  the Bell",  a  setting   of  the  Schiller poem  about  the  forging  of  a  great  church  bell,  which  I  have  on  a  probably  hard to  find  Thorofon  CD , is  also  well-worth  hearing.
   

[Opus106]

Now he has really pissed me off!

A prominent HIP-advocate conducting a symphony of one of the great Romantics, and Hurwitz is pretty gentle with him (by his standards)!

http://www.classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11887

What should you do to get an entertaining review these days!?

[M forever]

We are only a single generation away from conductors who either knew him (Brahms) or were trained by those who did.

Huh?

[Catison]

We are only a single generation away from conductors who either knew him (Brahms) or were trained by those who did.

Huh?

Translation.  There are conductors active today whose teachers either knew Brahms or were trained by those who did.

[M forever]

Like who?

Besides, that statement by Hurwitz betrays his fundamental non-understanding of things like performance practice and style, both modern and historical, as well as the developments and changes that happen constantly, and most importantly how these changes happen, how tradition gets transmitted and how it changes. Which is OK, after all, he is just a hobby percussionist, and Americans are cut off from these traditions anyway and often don't understand them. But then he shouldn't write reviews in which he blahblahs about that. OTOH, he caters to the ignorant who just want to read some simplistic and "strong" opinions they can copy and which make them think they know a few things themselves.

[Superhorn]

   Here I  am  in  agreement  with  Hurwitz  and   not  Mforever.
Hurwitz  is  absolutely  right  on  target  here  in   pointing  out  how  silly  HIP  is  in  Brahms.  How  do  we  know that  Brahms  would  not  have  been  delighted  to  with  performances  of  his  music  if  he  could  hear  say,  Dohnanyi  and  Cleveland,  Masur  and  the  the  Gewandhaus,  or  Levine and  Vienna,  etc,  perform  his  symphonies?   I  haven't  heard  Gardiner's  allegedly  "authentic"  Brahms  symphonies,  and they  might  very  well  be  excellent,  but  if  they  are, it  won't  be  because  of  the  period  instruments.
   And  Mforever,  please  stop  dismissing  those  who  are  less  enthusiastic  about  period  instrument   performances  than  you  as  ignorant  of   scholarship  in   performance  practice  and  music  history.  This is  extremely  irritating.