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I didn’t know, but I should have assumed, that you enjoyed classical music. I’ve been reading for quite awhile and I don’t recall a post on it before (I could be wrong of course). Great! I would love to read more of what you like.
Coincidentally, I’m a regular at the NYPhil and I still have Anne-Sophie Mutter ringing (nicely) in my head from just last night.:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/02/arts/music/anne-sophie-mutter-and-philharmonic-at-avery-fisher-hall-review.html?ref=annesophiemutter
Do you ever check out the Philharmonic?
I honestly don’t know that much about classical music, although I do enjoy it. But I love the intensity of this video, the camera angles, and the grounded power of the conductor. Someone linked to it on Twitter and I’ve watched it about 3 times today.
…grounded power of the conductor. Wonderful observation. If the conductor tries to control, then the orchestra is mechanical. If the conductor gives too much latitude, the piece is muddy. The grounded power is exactly right-each moment of the piece perfectly filled, and with respect for the professionalism orchestra. Brilliant.
Venetian Blond – wow, I know so little about this. I watch this clip and try to see what this amazing conductor is DOING … I have observations, but they’re based on … well, nothing. I see that his eyes are closed. I also see that there are moments when he brings his hands all the way down – and the big explosion comes directly following. It doesn’t come ON the beat when his arms are down – but right after. It’s like he’s grounding all of them so that they can shoot up as high and as loud as the piece demands. Just an observation – I am fascinated by the whole thing!!
So you can’t micromanage the orchestra – but at the same time you have to lead them.
He also has such such economy of gesture–he doesn’t bother to “keep time,” but he indicates flourishes, changes in mood… light years away from most conductors!
As far as the delay thing goes–in professional orchestras, the musicians often don’t articulate or enter AS the conductor beats–instead, there’s a little (purposeful) lag time. As far as I can make out, the idea is to allow the orchestra more time to register what the conductor wants, although I’ve never quite understood how they stay together (I’m guessing it’s an intuition developed after years of practice.) Unfortunately, I first came across this theory in a high school orchestra where the conductor was trying to force us all to do this for the first time in a very technically challenging piece–which went over like a pint of lukewarm ice cream in July. We were all confused and highly indignant. “I’m supposed to play 8 notes per beat…. but I’m not supposed to play the first one when it looks like his baton is indicating the beginning of the beat… I’m supposed to wait a couple of milliseconds… but how many? What am I supposed to do?!”
Oh no!!! Haha!
I’ve heard that European (German?) orchestras play behind the beat, while American orchestras (Italian and British, too?) play on the beat. It has to do with softening the first beat of the bar.
Anyway, I prefer Furtwangler in Beethoven, though both Karajan and he were renowned for their interpretations of the symphonies. For excellent conducting, however, there are two other videos you should watch.
First, Klaus Tennstedt conducting the Rienzi Overture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTltNsvSRxU
Next, Carlos Kleiber conducting the Die Fledermaus Overture: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqJK_s7I9EY