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Subject: Young soloists Author: notbob [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 12:02:30 31/08/2001 After reading Martin's (excellent as always) review of Prom 43 and the comments on Lang Lang's performance, I was musing on the pros and cons of showcasing up-and-coming young soloists in such fora as the Proms. On the one hand, it is always gratifying to see new talent on the Albert Hall stage. It not only prevents us from becoming jaded from overexposure to the more well-established and ubiquitous artists (I mean, I like Jean-Yves Thibaudet, but...) but also gives the audience a chance to hear new interpretations of the old warhorses of the repertoire -- the Rakhmaninov piano concertos, the Mozart violin works, etc. etc. And yet... I dunno; maybe it's just me, but I always come out of these performances feeling vaguely unsatisfied. I noticed it in Hilary Hahn's performance on last year's Last Night, and in Guy Johnston's Elgar at the First Night this year (to name but a few examples) and it sounds like the same feeling came out of Lang Lang's performance -- all the notes were there in the right order, BUT... Perhaps the fault lies not in what the performers are doing but in the artists themselves. There is really no substitute for a maturity of spirit that comes with age and experience, and which cannot help but color musical performances with those subtle touches that complete the effect. In my view, it is that last little bit that makes the difference between a good performance and a great one. (Forgive me for attempting to circumscribe the ineffable here; I trust you diehard concertgoers know that quality I am attempting to describe. Or perhaps I'm talking complete nonsense.) Nevertheless, I say a hearty well-done to all those young musicians who have graced the RAH stage and will continue to do so in years to come, but don't be too offended if I go home afterwards and listen to my Rostropovich tapes... [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Subject Author Date Re: Young soloists Gary 15:16:44 31/08/2001 Re: Young soloists Martin 10:36:04 01/09/2001 Re: Young soloists -- notbob, 16:16:24 03/09/2001