Last Saturday I had an unforgettable experience. The kind you want to store in your memory and relive in your mind again and again.
I was given two tickets to the NY Philharmonic as a Christmas gift from CPC this year for being the church pianist. Mother and I went to hear Brahms' second serenade and second piano concerto with Emmanuel Ax at the piano and Lauren Maazel conducting. It was awesome, wondrous, incredible! I'd heard the concerto on CD a number of times - I actually got it from CPC last year - but to hear it live, to watch it being performed, was another thing entirely. All of us in the audience were spellbound - watching, listening.
I'm struggling to find words fit to describe this experience - I keep writing sentences and then deleting them. Suffice to say it was unforgettable and that my piano teacher, who was also there, said he had never heard Brahms performed better before.
I think one of the wonderful things about music is that most anyone can enjoy it. You don't have to be very knowledgeable of music to appreciate it. I suppose there are levels of appreciation. My teacher sitting beside me definitely had a better understanding of the music than I did, giving him a greater appreciation for how well it was performed, among other things. But I'm not convinced that a great appreciation means greater enjoyment. But perhaps it does. I just have a hard time believing I could enjoy it more than I did!
That isn't to say that I don't want to appreciate music more. I do. I want to learn more. It fascinates me. Sometimes I find myself frustrated by how little I know. Especially when I read the inside the CD cover. Who writes that stuff?! Today in music appreciation at school I was quite distressed that I didn't have enough knowledge to defend my position or to counter my teacher's insistent, self-confident arguments. In retrospect, I don't think any arguments would convince him, but I stick to my "preposterous, ignorant" claim that Bach's music should be played in the traditional Baroque style, not as Romantic music, and that Glenn Gould doesn't play like a robot.
5 comments:
Dearest Carol,
I do agree with you that music should be played the way the composer would have intended. Yes, it may be quite amusing, albeit for a brief second, to hear Bach's Prelude in C played on an electric guitar, but I am sure that concurrently, Bach would be rolling over in his grave. Music, as poetry, should be appreciated as it was intended by its creator. Just as we should appreciate God's creation and not try to adulterate it to suit our own selfish purposes, so should we only listen to Bach in its intended Baroque style. Anything less would be disrespectful to the composer and other like minded, and naturally, intelligent, music enthusiasts.
I fear that your teacher would be incorrect to be appeased by any other thought. He must not be a purist, but rather has allowed himself to be corrupted by our modern culture and pedestrian society. When you next see him, simply smile as you consider him as one of Shakespeare's groundlings.
Until next time...
HF
Amen. I'm fuming a little less now, thank you.
Perhaps I agreed too quickly, Mrs. Fillmore. Bach's music does lend itself with much success, in my opinion, to jazz improv (as I heard in music appreciation) among other things. Bach was quite innovative. Perhaps he would approve.
However, when I play Invention No 14 on the piano, I try to play it as he intended, in the traditional baroque style. I believe (as I have been taught) that that is right. But I do understand that there are varying opinions. It isn't a black and white business. There is debate. Questions arise regarding the dynamics, pedaling, etc. that the piano offers, as opposed to the harpsichord. I think I took most offense my teacher blew aside my claim as being completely wrong and ignorant, as if the debate didn't even exist. But really, his sweeping statements are nothing more than an opinion. Though he didn't state them as such.
As for his calling Glenn Gould's playing "robotic", considering him a groundling seems the best option.
Carol,
I am so glad to hear about your experience with the Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto. When I went to China, I took two cds with me and one of them had, I believe, Emmaneul Ax playing Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto. For a whole year, I listened to that CD over and over. The opening bars still bring tears to my eyes.
Incidentally, David and I saw the Seattle Symphony playing Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto with Andre Watts a couple of weeks ago. What style and flare. He was amazing.
And to add my two cents to the Glen Gould debate, I just adore his version of the Goldberg Variations. I love the way that he is able to give such distinct personalities to the multiple voices that weave in and out of each movement. I'm also fascinated by his sensee of articulation. I love how certain voices have a plucking-like quality to their attack while others have a more bowing quality (like he is playing a string instrument). To be able t play the piano (a percussion instrument, of course), with such a variety of articulations is such a gift and I find it delightful when I encounter it.
I hope you get to hear Brahms live again soon.
Jodie
Hey Jodie! It's good to hear from you! I'm glad you and David got to hear Brahm's concerto too. Perhaps after that experience hearing the openning bars will bring tears to my eyes too. They are so beautiful it almost hurts.
Thanks for your opinion on Glenn Gould. I totally agree! I think hearing him play the Goldberg Variations on CD has made me better appreciate them. My library has two recordings of them from different times in his life. They are very different but both distinctive and beautiful. The more Bach I play the more I appreciate his genius. (Bach's and Gould's!)
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