Philip wrote:

>Gerardo Constantini wrote:
>
>>I think we already spent to much time in a person who doesn't deserve it.
>>And the people who love his "music" could make a big "homage" to him,
>>making a big longlife n "silence" = (4:33) Regards:
>
>Hey, Gerardo, what's eating you? First Schnabel is among the *worst*
>Beethoven interpreters, then Bruckner is a bad composer and now we
>shouldn't waste our time with Cage.  I mean, this is all established
>history.  And a dissenting opinion may be interesting but it loses much
>of that potential when it confines itself to blanket statements about
>virtually everybody.

Well,well,well, i already ate a wonderful meal (i am a "sibarita") First
of all, i am not take my decisions,and i don't match neccesarily my taste
with any standard.I just based my opinions,tastes,etc.  on my knowledge of
the subject,and plus my particular and personal aproach to it.  Regarding
Schnabel(despite the myth),his interpretations (for my taste) are chaotic.
I can't listen to a musician who has no Rythm.  Did you take a look to
his edition of the Beethoven sonatas?.Well it is full of tempo changings
sometimes from bar to bar.The reasons? =Nobody knows exactly why.
Somewhere i read Schnabel based those changes on the "character" of an
specific "passagge",or some specific "theme".For me it seem to be to much
superficial.Of course the idea is not bad,but please don't do it in the
whole piece,and worst in all the pieces.  Only the last Sonatas, sound
better,because for their inner structure,are closer to that conception,but
that's all.  Felix mention as an example of a good rendition of that music
The Waldstein.well sorry but i really don't like it.  But not only the
rhytmic inestability is the problem.  Schnabel give very few importance to
some places which need more polyphonic treatment.The recordings are full
of wrong notes,but that is not a real problem for me.  Some people told
me many times: The great dimension of Schnabel can not be expressed
in words,you just have to listen him many times,and then you will
understand.Well already passed more than 30 years of it,and i really don'
understand yet.  About the dynamics concerning the intensity (not the
speed),it is difficult to know exactly,because the recordings are too
old.But in general terms his dynamic degree is OK but not more.Concerning
prhasing,it is very correct in general terms,but sometimes is plenty of
wrong accents,and things like that.  The only thing i like in his
interpretations (agree with Felix) are his slow movements.I think he was
completely identified with it.Some slow movements of that sonatas played
by him,are really wonderful.  Well, concerning Bruckner: I never said he
was a bad composer.  i said (for my taste) he was not a first class
composer.  In other words i think he is not at the level of
Brahms,Mozart;Bach,Beethoven,etc., And after reading about his arrogance to
consider his music in a direct "ON-LINE" with god, i still remain in my
position.  Well, concerning Cage,i want to make clear is nothing personal
against him, but his music?.I really consider a waste of time to speak
about his music.  And concerning to a stablished history,i know i cannot
change it.  But i really don't care to much with the reliability of
history sometimes.  Cage passed to the history because he did something
"revolutionary" in art, but that's all.  And remember all revolutionary
acts not neccesarily are good or bad,small or big,etc.  And in order to be
more clear: All that kind of 20 century music,is completely comprehensible
to me,because as i told before,i studied composition,i made a lot of
harmony,counterpoint fugue,analysis,etc.  but that music (despite the
intelectual sphere) doesn't make me feel any HIGH emotion.  I think that
music has it natural limit: Incidental music.  Cordially:

Gerardo Constantini:.