In the world of music conservatories, in the classical music community, exceptional musical talent is usually considered to be the ability to quickly recognize pitches by ear, the possession of reliable musical memory, and the athleticism and dexterity to navigate complex patterns on an instrument. We have not considered imagination, or artistic idea-making. Perhaps these are difficult to recognize? Perhaps it's assumed that with fine skills will … [Read more...]
Labor Management
Sound recordings from the first decades of the 20th century form a performance-practice treatise, documenting practices that may offer insight into music-making of earlier times. In the case of piano music, very many of these recordings are recordings of Chopin’s music. There are a lot of recordings of short pieces. (The length of one cylinder and later one “side” of a disc was around 3 minutes.) Chopin: Waltz in A Minor, op. 34, no. 2, Robert … [Read more...]
What’s in a name?
"Richard told me." Or, "Martha thinks so." The inspeak of the classical music anointed? A mark of self-importance, of access, or just an acknowledgement of exactly how the celebrated wish to be addressed? Unusual names can serve more easily. "Just ask La Monte." And beyond, "Milton thought so," there are histories and associations. Alexis Weissenberg would be "Siggy” Weissenberg. For some, Susan Wadsworth remained "Susan Popkin." And … [Read more...]
PW
P. W. -- the initials of Paula Wray McDonald, my wife, partner (and high-school girlfriend). But the two letters PW really stand for "Pianist's Wife." I am the pianist's wife, Hurrah Hurrah for the pianist's wife! Ah yes, it is a gruesome [glorious] life To be the pianist's wife. Wanda, Nela, Naomi -- that's a lineage. Helpmates, sounding boards, ghost writers, taskmasters, goads. Paula had lessons from Tracy Taub... Maxims and … [Read more...]
What Would Yehudi Do?
Perhaps we receive our most important education from models around us. We emulate them. And if we don't imitate behavior details, we may take on the approach or method of someone we admire. Vicarious models can be important. At 14, I devoured Arthur Rubinstein's My Young Years. I loved it more than Mr. Rubinstein's playing that I heard on recordings. The book seemed to offer a complete how-to-live prescription to a young pianist -- or young … [Read more...]
One day
When I was a kid I read a lot of books about musical performers, books filled with fantastic tales, of adventures on tour, of transcendental virtuosity -- in the pre-recording era. This stuff can fire a teenager's imagination. After reading about Arthur Rubinstein learning Franck's Symphonic Variations on a long train ride (he went from the station to the first rehearsal), and Josef Hofmann performing a short piece after only hearing another … [Read more...]