Post by JohnGavinPost by tomdeaconPost by JohnGavinPost by Tom DeaconPost by JohnGavinPost by ***@gmail.comPost by tomdeaconS always it is cery hard to penetrate Uchida's English. Easier to see as
well as hear.
Her Mozart Picos seem good in a way her Tate series wasn't.
BBC Magazine called her on the cover of its last issue : "The greatest
Mozart player", which I happen to find unfair towards Perahia,
Zacharias, Pires, Heabler... I could never truly warm to Uchida's
Mozart performances.
TH
I would rate De Larrocha high on that list. She's one of the few who
doesn't impose an attitude of reverential purity onto Mozart. Her
approach is natural, wonderfully rhythmic and sturdy.
Are you opposed to revential purity on principle or just where Mozart
is concerned?
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TD
It's a more subtle quality of authenticity. Some people are genuinely
humble, and others feign humility. Mozart playing can suffer in this
way. Like playing on tip-toe. Reverence can come across as a sort of
filter that doesn't ring true in performance - let's say the perception
is subjective, not name names and leave it at that.
There is too much vague impressionism in your thinking here, John. Haskil
is authentic, Uchida not? Hmmmm.
Where did I mention Haskil? My initials are not "TH".
Post by tomdeaconSeems to me you're just trying to couch your taste in lofty language.
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TD
It seems to me that you don't read posts carefully.
I have been reading yours for a very long time.
In this instance, you didn't mention Haskil, but she's the standard go-to
of Mozart lovers, n'est-ce pas? I don't actually much care for her playing.
As good an example as any, however, particularly as you provided no model
of "authenticity". Perhaps you thought we wouldn't notice? If you have one,
please bring it forward..
But as usual you do not answer my question. Authentic? Meaning? How is
Mozart playing authentic? Period instruments? Authentic "soul"?
Your comments are really meaningless if you are unable to pin down your
parameters much, much, much better, followed by some exemplary paradigm.
I have many Mozart paradigms, John. To be specific: Landowska's D major
sonata, Lipatti's A minor, Zacharias' A major, Arrau's C minor. I could go
on. They are completely dissimilar. But what they share is blazing
conviction in rhythm, phrasing, and scope. Uchida's live Mozart sonata
recital is a major step up from the studio readings. But I do believe she
has the same degree of conviction in her playing as these other pianists I
have mentioned and is true to the music and to herself always. That, for
me, at least, represents authenticity.
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TD