Advanced Member
Posted 27 April 2014 - 17:00
Snog: JT, Monteverdi, Prokofiev,oboe, bassoon, clarinet
Marry: Prince, Rimsky-korsakov, Britten, Bartok - I cannot have enough Bartok in my life, violin
Avoid: Celine Dion, Cliff Richard, modern jazz, classical music (as in music composed during the classical period), German Lieder
Advanced Member
Posted 29 April 2014 - 08:08
After my recent singing lesson:
Snog- Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Marry- Schubert
Avoid- Another vote for Celine Dion
Advanced Member
Posted 29 April 2014 - 10:33
Another vote for marrying Alicia de Larrocha! My favourite female pianist.
Female pianist snog; Noriko Ogawa
Female pianist avoid; Valentina Lisitsa
Virtuoso
Posted 29 April 2014 - 12:35
Really, everytime an artist is intelligent enough to adapt to the 21st century and use modern media and communication tools, then you dislike him, completely indepent of his/her playing abilities. How is Ogawa's playing any better than Lisitsa's?
I can only explain it with enviousness and would like to kick off another completely irresolvable, slighty heated and yet informative discussion about this topic.
Then again it might just be down to taste.
Prodigy
Posted 29 April 2014 - 12:39
Snog: Puccini
Marry: The opera singer Julian Gavin, just so that he could serenade me with some of Puccini's arias. I gather JG was very ill a few years ago and had to cancel some engagements. Has he recovered and is he still teaching at the Guildhall, does anyone know?
Avoid: Boulez. Someone in their wisdom teamed him with Beethoven in a Prom concert a couple of years ago 
Virtuoso
Posted 29 April 2014 - 12:50
Snog: Puccini
Marry: The opera singer Julian Gavin, just so that he could serenade me with some of Puccini's arias. I gather JG was very ill a few years ago and had to cancel some engagements. Has he recovered and is he still teaching at the Guildhall, does anyone know?
Avoid: Boulez. Someone in their wisdom teamed him with Beethoven in a Prom concert a couple of years ago
I don't know, but it sounds like he might need looking after and some TLC Polkadot! 
Virtuoso
Posted 29 April 2014 - 13:42
Surely it's a rule of this thread that we aren't allowed to criticise other people's preferences....? 
Guest: VH2_*
Posted 29 April 2014 - 13:59
How is Ogawa's playing any better than Lisitsa's?
Then again it might just be down to taste.
Perhaps.
I would not argue with anyone that prefers to listen to Lisitsa over Ogawa, but in my opinion Ogawa has (much) more precise control over every element of playing - accuracy, volume, timing - and so is better able to realize her musical intentions.
There are plenty of unknown or forgotten pianists that play superbly, probably thousands. Lisitsa used to be amongst them. She has to be admired for the way she used modern media to re-vitalize a stalled career.
Advanced Member
Posted 29 April 2014 - 14:03
Snog: Puccini
Marry: The opera singer Julian Gavin, just so that he could serenade me with some of Puccini's arias. I gather JG was very ill a few years ago and had to cancel some engagements. Has he recovered and is he still teaching at the Guildhall, does anyone know?
Avoid: Boulez. Someone in their wisdom teamed him with Beethoven in a Prom concert a couple of years ago
That was Daniel Barenboim in his infinite wisdom! Couldn't get more contrasting composers if you tried. (Though I assume that was the point... 
) Not sure about your opera singer but can see why you'd want to marry him! 
(I'm sure it's purely for his singing of course. 
)
Virtuoso
Posted 29 April 2014 - 14:11
I believe the taste here resembles rather preposession against modern media and exposure through them.
...
I believe there is no arguing.
I like both Lisitsa and Ogawa.
*You* believe there is no arguing. Which you are entitled to do. You may believe wrong though
I don't really care how an artiste promotes themselves - if I like what they do musically, I'll listen to them. Having said that I am more fond of old-fashioned interpretations- Horowitz, Van Cliburn, Perlemuter - but I freely admit that that is for sentimental reasons. That is what my father used to listen to so I grew up hearing it.
Guest: VH2_*
Posted 29 April 2014 - 14:24
I believe the taste here resembles rather preposession against modern media and exposure through them.
It is very evident, that Lisitsa is upfront here with her use of dynamcis and sustain. Just listen how she puts 0:43 to sleep.
I believe there is no arguing.
Well I don't like either performance, even if I do wish that I could play as "badly" as that myself. I am in envy of the co-ordination of both women, but I do not envy their interpretative skills or artistic judgement. Both interpretations sound crude, crashy and superficial. They impress in the same way as a tightrope walk or trapeze act, rather than as moving experiences.
Horowitz's old recording is not so one dimensional and reveals more of what Prokofiev had in mind.
Amongst current pianists Murray Maclachlan makes a better job of it than either Lisitsa or Ogawa (or, as it is subjective, should I just say that I prefer Murray's playing?) .
Virtuoso
Posted 29 April 2014 - 14:42
Monty was on TV last night. 
Oh and the stone masonry was good too!
Maestro
Posted 29 April 2014 - 15:11
Advanced Member
Posted 29 April 2014 - 16:26
I believe the taste here resembles rather preposession against modern media and exposure through them.
It is very evident, that Lisitsa is upfront here with her use of dynamcis and sustain. Just listen how she puts 0:43 to sleep.
I believe there is no arguing.
Well I don't like either performance, even if I do wish that I could play as "badly" as that myself. I am in envy of the co-ordination of both women, but I do not envy their interpretative skills or artistic judgement. Both interpretations sound crude, crashy and superficial. They impress in the same way as a tightrope walk or trapeze act, rather than as moving experiences.
Horowitz's old recording is not so one dimensional and reveals more of what Prokofiev had in mind.
Amongst current pianists Murray Maclachlan makes a better job of it than either Lisitsa or Ogawa (or, as it is subjective, should I just say that I prefer Murray's playing?) .
Perhaps you two could start your own thread on the values (or otherwise) of these two pianists in order that this thread isn't locked or deleted altogether? Or is that the aim? 
Guest: VH2_*
Posted 29 April 2014 - 16:47
Perhaps you two could start your own thread on the values (or otherwise) of these two pianists in order that this thread isn't locked or deleted altogether? Or is that the aim?
No, that is not the aim. It is also unlikely. Threads get deleted only if they become viciously argumentative or attack the person rather than what they are saying.
It is completely normal for threads to wander off topic, and that is what leads to some of the most interesting conversations and discoveries. The easy way to get them back "on-topic", if you feel that is necessary, is to post something yourself that relates to the way the thread started - not to berate others.
However, thank you for reminding me that, based on the evidence to date, as confirmed by his most recent post on this thread, it seems pointless to try to engage Stefan Yamaha in any serious debate.
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