I think I know all the available recordings of that piece; Elmar Oliveira's is still the best for me

Posted by John Marks (M) on January 31, 2016 at 19:15:26

In Reply to: How fast can you play posted by ahendler on January 31, 2016 at 16:22:58:

And, with all due respect, you have to take the MM markings with a grain of salt.

Barber accepted a commission from a rich industrialist to write a concerto for his protege, and they thought the first two movements were too lyrical and not virtuoso enough, and so Barber apparently passive-aggressively for the third movement gave them what they said they wanted, and then they cried foul, and money might have been at stake.

So Barber grabbed a Curtis student at random and two days (or some short interval; I first heard this story nearly 40 years ago and it is in print in many places) later the random kid could play the third movement.

But at the end of the day, I myself (and we all know that I sleep under a bridge and keep warm by sucking Sterno® from a sock), think that it is more important to make the concerto hang together as a whole, than to obey a MM indication that might have been little more than a "Fuck you and your money."

jm

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - How fast can you play - ahendler 16:22:58 01/31/16 (20)

Rachel Barton Pine in Barber Concerto - pbarach 03:39:01 02/02/16 (0)

192 bits per second- I think you mean 192 Beats per minute... nt - oldmkvi 23:50:29 02/01/16 (2)

RE: 192 bits per second- I think you mean 192 Beats per minute... nt - ahendler 08:34:02 02/02/16 (1)

Insert Smiley -Face here! Fast is fast....nt - oldmkvi 08:37:11 02/02/16 (0)

Not a word about the slow mov't though?? : ) - jdaniel@jps.net 20:22:08 01/31/16 (9)

RE: Not a word about the slow mov't though?? : ) - ahendler 18:29:14 02/01/16 (3)

RE: Not a word about the slow mov't though?? : ) - jdaniel@jps.net 18:34:03 02/01/16 (2)

RE: Not a word about the slow mov't though?? : ) - ahendler 19:46:32 02/01/16 (1)

Oh man, you're in for a treat. nt - jdaniel@jps.net 20:13:22 02/01/16 (0)

Amen, amen, and amen. YT + Link - John Marks 21:14:01 01/31/16 (4)

+2 - rbolaw 15:23:40 02/01/16 (0)

Mine on LP [nt] - Amphissa 10:25:11 02/01/16 (0)

Have it... - Ivan303 21:33:05 01/31/16 (1)

Was my first exosure to the VC way back when. I bought the CD for the Hanson - jdaniel@jps.net 08:03:01 02/01/16 (0)

I think I know all the available recordings of that piece; Elmar Oliveira's is still the best for me - John Marks 19:15:26 01/31/16 (0)

RE: Gratz? I thought it was Clifford Brown played like that. nt - kitch29 17:30:06 01/31/16 (0)

One of my favorites.... - Ivan303 16:57:59 01/31/16 (3)

RE: One of my favorites.... - ahendler 18:36:00 01/31/16 (2)

I'd have to say he's probably about my favorite 'living' violinist these days... - Ivan303 19:09:35 01/31/16 (1)

RE: I'd have to say he's probably about my favorite 'living' violinist these days... - ahendler 17:08:12 02/02/16 (0)

Follow Ups

I think I know all the available recordings of that piece; Elmar Oliveira's is still the best for me - John Marks 19:15:26 01/31/16 (0)

I think I know all the available recordings of that piece; Elmar Oliveira's is still the best for me

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