Michael Cooper ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>Kevin Sutton wrote:
>
>>The tyranny of perfection that recordings have placed upon live
>>performances is ridiculous.  Recordings have created a false standard
>>that is nearly impossible to live up to on the stage, much to the
>>discouragement and detriment of live concerts, in my humble, but
>>professional opinion.
>
>And as Ray Osnato pointed out, Aesop's fox would agree.  The detriment
>here is only to less-talented performers; recordings have set a standard
>for audience's ears and they now expect good music-making (although not
>necessarily note perfection) from concerts.

I hate to disagree with Ray, but I think that recordings *have* led
audiences to false expectation.

I often review performances by local community and student orchestras.
Technically they are frequently far from perfect, but the players often
bring an enthusiasm to their playing which professionals can miss; and
Victoria, being such a nice place to live, has attracted many first-rate
musicians to the area, many of them play in the community orchestras (I
can recall the time when one such played with a bass section consisting
entirely of former members of the London orchestras) and each has a
first-rate conductor.  (One is an ex-violinist who studied with Alberty
Sammons, another a former percussionist who was invited to join the
Eastman School by Hanson himself, another a Hungarian who has at least
one Grand Prix du Disque to his credit).

Problem is, the audience often appears to be listeing for the imperfections
and not the spirit of the music.

As an example, a few months ago I attended one such concert which
culminated in a Brahms 1 that brought tears to my eyes.  OK, there were
blemishes, but rarely have I heard such a moving performances.

However, as one of the cellists told me in the parking lot afterwards,
he'd overheard an audience member saying "and they rehearsed *that* for
THREE MONTHS?".

I'd suggest that only the very finest musicians can play live as technically
well as on record and that all of the rest are being disadvantaged.

I also know that most of the people I see buying classical CDs I rarely
encounter at live events.

Deryk Barker
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