In Reply to: We do? posted by Analog Scott on September 14, 2014 at 07:27:32:
I agree with you on this one. The real question is, exactly what is meant by "great technique" or "technical virtuosity". There was a shallow, simplistic, "circus trick" concept of virtuosity that was common at least by the early 19th century.
The violinist who premiered the Beethoven concerto was famous for being able to play the violin upside down, though I don't believe he played the Beethoven that way. That shallow "circus trick" concept of virtuosity had a large popular following through most the 19th century, though most serious musicians and composers disdained it.
IMO, with today's high-tech recording, we have a different, but no less shallow, "circus trick" concept of virtuosity. And we still have true virtuosity. A true technical virtuoso can play all the notes and also do it in a musical, compelling way.
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Follow Ups
- RE: We do? - rbolaw 09:59:31 09/14/14 (56)
- He split the concerto up and played tricks in the middle - John Marks 15:13:13 09/14/14 (0)
- RE: We do? - Analog Scott 15:03:52 09/14/14 (54)
- RE: We do? - David Smith 16:24:56 09/14/14 (52)
- Gotta agree... - Ivan303 00:31:10 09/15/14 (0)
- RE: We do? - Analog Scott 19:16:52 09/14/14 (7)
- RE: We do? - David Smith 19:33:13 09/14/14 (6)
- RE: We do? - Analog Scott 21:19:54 09/14/14 (5)
- RE: We do? - David Smith 04:20:16 09/15/14 (4)
- RE: We do? - Analog Scott 10:43:39 09/15/14 (1)
- RE: We do? - David Smith 11:07:16 09/15/14 (0)
- RE: We do? - rbolaw 08:00:43 09/15/14 (1)
- RE: We do? - Analog Scott 10:36:36 09/15/14 (0)
- Exactly right. Unfortunately. - rbolaw 16:57:11 09/14/14 (42)
- RE: Exactly right. Unfortunately. - Analog Scott 22:27:11 09/14/14 (41)
- RE: Exactly right. Unfortunately. - rbolaw 07:46:40 09/15/14 (40)
- RE: Exactly right. Unfortunately. - Analog Scott 10:33:58 09/15/14 (39)
- RE: Exactly right. Unfortunately. - rbolaw 11:01:19 09/15/14 (38)
- "when such minor flaws were not yet considered fatal to a great pianist" - Chris from Lafayette 12:28:36 09/15/14 (37)
- Not quite. - rbolaw 14:21:12 09/15/14 (36)
- OK, but everything else being equal, I'd rather have the notes too - Chris from Lafayette 15:53:52 09/15/14 (29)
- Hammer seeking nail syndrome - David Smith 18:43:32 09/15/14 (26)
- RE: Hammer seeking nail syndrome - Analog Scott 10:11:07 09/16/14 (4)
- RE: Hammer seeking nail syndrome - David Smith 10:12:59 09/16/14 (3)
- RE: Hammer seeking nail syndrome - Analog Scott 11:30:00 09/16/14 (2)
- RE: Hammer seeking nail syndrome - David Smith 12:12:01 09/16/14 (1)
- RE: Hammer seeking nail syndrome - Analog Scott 18:07:23 09/16/14 (0)
- +1. Couldn't put it more clearly than that. nt - rbolaw 05:13:29 09/16/14 (0)
- I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Chris from Lafayette 00:11:28 09/16/14 (19)
- Not surprising - David Smith 05:56:43 09/16/14 (0)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Analog Scott 04:18:36 09/16/14 (17)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Tony Lauck 10:37:21 09/16/14 (16)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Analog Scott 11:34:52 09/16/14 (15)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Tony Lauck 12:40:18 09/16/14 (4)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Analog Scott 17:31:56 09/16/14 (0)
- I can't speak for Ozawa's live concerts in Boston (wasn't there). . . - Chris from Lafayette 14:23:48 09/16/14 (2)
- The birds didn't sing when Ozawa was conducting. - Tony Lauck 14:52:25 09/16/14 (1)
- I agree with you about DG SQ - the Ozawa/BPO Prokofiev series was better than most DG's however [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 15:55:36 09/16/14 (0)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - rbolaw 12:31:52 09/16/14 (9)
- RE: I see where you're coming from, but still. . . - Analog Scott 17:14:25 09/16/14 (1)
- Yes - excellent - that pretty much sums it up - Chris from Lafayette 01:03:59 09/17/14 (0)
- "Your endless cries for "proof" are tiresome" - Chris from Lafayette 13:59:02 09/16/14 (6)
- No más. Sorry. nt - rbolaw 15:14:48 09/16/14 (5)
- It's OK - np [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 15:52:45 09/16/14 (4)
- Some suggested reading - rbolaw 06:12:30 09/17/14 (3)
- Excellent article - David Smith 15:31:39 09/17/14 (0)
- Very entertaining - Thanks! [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 09:14:29 09/17/14 (0)
- RE: Some suggested reading - Analog Scott 07:34:47 09/17/14 (0)
- RE: OK, but everything else being equal, I'd rather have the notes too - rbolaw 16:28:53 09/15/14 (1)
- RE: OK, but everything else being equal, I'd rather have the notes too - Analog Scott 21:21:59 09/15/14 (0)
- RE: Not quite. - Analog Scott 15:50:52 09/15/14 (5)
- That's funny - rbolaw 16:43:59 09/15/14 (4)
- RE: That's funny - Analog Scott 21:53:45 09/15/14 (2)
- Oh PLEASE! - Ivan303 01:26:44 09/16/14 (1)
- RE: Oh PLEASE! - Analog Scott 04:16:26 09/16/14 (0)
- RE: That's funny - Analog Scott 20:56:50 09/15/14 (0)
- RE: We do? - rbolaw 15:22:58 09/14/14 (0)