In Reply to: RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) posted by Emsquare on July 2, 2012 at 14:58:01:
That rigidity in classical playing is actually quite recent. With a few exceptions, notably the music of Bach, players of the baroque and early classical eras were *not* expect to play the music as it was written. It was partly extemporized by the performer and as late as Moart, concerti even had a spot for extemporization built in. Even in the late 19th century, it was considered OK to arrange music to take advantage of new instrumental possibilities. When Brahms recorded his famous cylinder, he didn't play his music as written. And the great composers were great improvisers. Tales of Bach's improvisations, or Beethoven's, astound. Bach could improvise a six part fugue. Beethoven regularly improvised with such power that he reduced the audience to tears.
It's only recently that classical music has become a dry, dessicated, museum piece. Once, it lived and breathed.
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Follow Ups
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 17:28:34 07/03/12 (15)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Emsquare 18:00:08 07/03/12 (14)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 18:14:24 07/03/12 (13)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Emsquare 21:53:22 07/03/12 (12)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 04:39:56 07/04/12 (11)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - steve.ott@kctcs.edu 16:08:57 07/09/12 (3)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 16:23:17 07/09/12 (2)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Raymond Leggs 12:00:33 07/27/12 (1)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 17:30:40 07/27/12 (0)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Emsquare 19:03:14 07/04/12 (6)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 06:18:46 07/05/12 (5)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Emsquare 18:12:56 07/05/12 (1)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 18:36:39 07/05/12 (0)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Inmate51 09:15:20 07/05/12 (2)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - Raymond Leggs 14:45:34 07/05/12 (0)
- RE: Bizarre twist in musical taste (long) - josh358 11:29:35 07/05/12 (0)