Gold Medal Congestion from Saturday night
By Mike Winter
Just about the time I have my favorites identified, along comes another pianist or two to upend my paradigm. Aesthetic values I’ve concluded are relative, and they need to be, if my way of listening is to climb into the melded mind of performer and composer to follow their musical thought. This is fine until the time comes to evaluate. Can’t I have my Zhang and Wu too? I loved Zhang’s Gaspard, then Wu came along a few hours later and played a better one, more expressive, more impressionistic. “Better” in a sense, in a certain frame of mind. Fortunately we can have them both.
Fortunately, ranking and choosing is only required by the judges. Imagine having to choose a favorite between Domingo and Pavarotti? Or between Netrebko and Gheorghiu? In real life, we can love them both. Maybe one more for some things than the other, but I love them both.
People of blog: in the interest of keeping the conversation on one thread, I hereby direct you to the “The moment” post above. Heartfelt thanks for your participation.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Dear people of blog: in the interest of keeping the conversation on one thread, I hereby direct you to the “The moment” post below.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Agree re: Wu’s Ravel. In fact, I think the strongest recital of the finals was Wu’s, with her creative programming of Bach, Schoenberg, and Ravel.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Ok, so in the video (History of the Cliburn) that is playing on the live feed now, what does Vladimir Viardo play when the video shows him?
It sounds familiar
but i can’t figure out what it is.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Is anyone else having problems receiving a good web signal?
June 7th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I know this is not likely to happen, but Evgeni Bozhanov brought about he most excitement, spirit and fierce passion. I would give him the gold hands down. The remaining contestants are brilliant.. and interchangeable.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Folks! Sorry we had a bit of blog uncoördination, but the main stream of the conversation is happening at the “The moment” post. Thanks for your understanding.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
@ Anne S. …sorry, if Bohzanov were to win, I would have to think that the “circus” was winning.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
It is hard to scientifically rank these outstanding pianist of different styles. Wish them all well in their careers.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Nevermind about the viardo, i remember.
June 7th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Yet, for us in the audience (journalists as well), the most recent performance always strives to take on too much significance.
Thank goodness for the jury which somehow can remember without the distractions the rest of us face. I’d give every one of the jurors a gold medal as well every one of the finalists. Love them all!
June 7th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
@forrest: 1st Etude Tableaux of Op. 39 by Rahmaninoff
June 7th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
These people are so talented. But it is really annoying the pianist on the world concert stages seldom come from this big competitions including Tchaikovsky, Queen Elizabeth, van Cliburn, and Chopin (which may have produced most active performing pianists on the world stage so far although i think the reportoire is not as demanding as the van Cliburn.)
June 7th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Well spoke, Mike. As were all of your posts (and those of your colleagues). Whether you were giving someone a rave or reporting , I found myself interested in investigating each performance more carefully.
And yes, we can have them both! For this art to have life, we must. Aesthetic values can also change during a lifetime–Glenn Gould’s multiple and vastly different recordings of the same repertoire are an extreme example, but many of the great pianists of the past made changes in the way they played pieces over time; the greatest were able to let them live uniquely in each separate performance without losing their own, carefully formed perspective.
I recall the kind of strong, highly polarized responses I had to performances (and jury decisions!) in my student days. I loved those responses, both positive and negative, but have very different responses at this time in my life. I’m sure my picks for this competition would have been completely different 20 years ago. I’m glad I don’t have the responsibility today!