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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
I'd hate to see PianoWorld become the same kind of adolescent cesspool of criticism that YouTube has become.
But YouTube isn't moderated. I fail to see the comparison. (And PW is peaches compared to the Radio 3 Forum which is even more heavily moderated.)
I think Kreisler's point was that the topic itself was somewhat juvenile and inappropriate.
I think some posters(seemingly far more frequently those who are not particularly advanced)feel important when they criticize major pianists in immature ways. In my opinion they only look silly doing this.
Also, I should probably make it clear - I was speaking as a forum member, not as moderator. I have no intentions of taking any moderator actions. I was just voicing my opinion as a regular human being.
"If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him." (John Holt)
I agree with the criticism of the thread itself. However, an anecdote associated with this gives another perspective. I am a hi-fi fan so benefit from good quality sound. Many years' ago I was listening to a live recital by Vlado Perlmeuter, whose first group of pieces was the first set of Chopin's Mazurkas. The audience settled down, he played a few bars and came to a halt. The audience quietened. He started again and broke down again. The audience went absolutely quiet. Again he failed. It was so quiet you could hear his footsteps as he left the stage. Cue audience shuffling and coughing, then quiet again as you heard his footsteps back to the piano. Perfect playing.
It was a riveting experience and demonstrates his professionalism. OK, he had a memory lapse, went off for a refresher from the score (presumably) and then delivered a fine performance.
I don't believe this thread has, by nature, no potential for value; is it not a similar question to asking what is the best performance you have heard? I mean...assuming that the comments are not out of nastiness or puerile, obsessive disillusionment with the point of music and, in general, discussion and the articles pertaining thereto, um, couldn't one say that by discussing the best that one is simply stating, in a more qualitative rather than quantitative sense, what they consider the important factors (which one may try to thereafter improve upon) and likewise by asking for the worst, what to avoid? Just a thought... Oh, I love that Eisenstein recording by the way; I adore his passion, whether artificial or not. Xxx
Sometimes, we all just need to be shown a little kindness <3
I don't believe this thread has, by nature, no potential for value; is it not a similar question to asking what is the best performance you have heard? I mean...assuming that the comments are not out of nastiness or puerile, obsessive disillusionment with the point of music and, in general, discussion and the articles pertaining thereto, um, couldn't one say that by discussing the best that one is simply stating, in a more qualitative rather than quantitative sense, what they consider the important factors (which one may try to thereafter improve upon) and likewise by asking for the worst, what to avoid? Just a thought... Oh, I love that Eisenstein recording by the way; I adore his passion, whether artificial or not. Xxx
One can easily consider the important factors of music without highlighting someone's "bad" performances. It creates more negativity than the contrary.
"The eyes can mislead, the smile can lie, but the shoes always tell the truth."
One can easily consider the important factors of music without highlighting someone's "bad" performances. It creates more negativity than the contrary.
I never said it was the best way, I'm only suggesting that, perhaps, we could try to take the best from the worst, if you will? There's no negativity spare when negativity is intended; an artist should be able admit their faults and we shouldn't feel ashamed for agreeing with them or pointing them out in the first place; I mean, um, when I foul up I don't mind being told so, I don't mind it being mocked even. Maybe I'm hasty in trying to defend views contrary to your own and for that I'm sorry, but...just consider that the negativity may not actually exist for some...
Sometimes, we all just need to be shown a little kindness <3
I don't believe this thread has, by nature, no potential for value; is it not a similar question to asking what is the best performance you have heard?
To me, it isn't all that much like asking about the best, because the kind of things that make for a great performance and the kind of things that make for a terrible one aren't really the same type of thing, at least not for the most part.
The performance I think of as the worst I've ever heard was the worst because the performer kept giving concerts even after the deterioration of old age had totally wrecked his ability to play. How that would constructively relate to the opposite question - what is the best performance I've ever heard - is difficult for me to wrap my mind around.
But there is one possible interesting comparison between the two ideas that comes to mind - I do have a strong "worst concert" candidate, but I don't have a clear winner in the "best concert" category.
One can easily consider the important factors of music without highlighting someone's "bad" performances. It creates more negativity than the contrary.
I never said it was the best way, I'm only suggesting that, perhaps, we could try to take the best from the worst, if you will? There's no negativity spare when negativity is intended; an artist should be able admit their faults and we shouldn't feel ashamed for agreeing with them or pointing them out in the first place; I mean, um, when I foul up I don't mind being told so, I don't mind it being mocked even. Maybe I'm hasty in trying to defend views contrary to your own and for that I'm sorry, but...just consider that the negativity may not actually exist for some...
I never said you said it was the best way. I'm just saying that, um, perhaps we can focus on learning from positive things, instead of searching for holes in others' playing? No one is saying artists shouldn't admit to their faults, we all have faults, we're only human after all. Well, I don't know. I guess some people get pleasure out of watching others fall. Makes us feel superior and in control, hmm? Basic human nature.
"The eyes can mislead, the smile can lie, but the shoes always tell the truth."
A graduate recital by a piano student at the Cleveland Institute of Music - who has no business even studying there much less graduating.
Oh, you mean by a well known pianist. Probably Claudio Arrau in Boston in the late-1980s. He got lost in Beethoven's Op. 10, No. 3 and sleptwalked through the rest. Even my piano professor, an Arrau partisan, thought it was time for Arrau to turn in his keys.
