Chris Bonds signals that he is not overly impressed by Barenboim, either
as a conductor or as a pianist.  He rationates that by opining:

>I think body language on the podium or at the keyboard does say
>something about the person...

No doubt it does.  However, the way I've experienced Barenboim at the
keyboard, his body language is _understated_.  On the podium it seems
to take its instruction from a couple of masters paternal to his time:
Furtwaengler and Celibidache.  Body language thus makes him out to be both
cool and incandescent.  This would present a problem, I'd assume, when he
conducts from his piano, something he does quite frequently.  But in my
experience there was never a dilemma.  I've seen others try it--including,
recently, Schiff--and as far as I could judge, they all fell far short
of DB's prowess.  The man is excellent as a orchestral conductor, as a
conductor/pianist, as a pianist tout court, as an opera conductor, and
as a musician-brain.

Denis Fodor                     Internet:[log in to unmask]