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Re: Rachmanioff Piano Concerto no.2 Excerpt Education

Author: seabreeze
Date: 2018-02-15 09:58

I do think the discussion could be carried even further. Mr. Zimmerman did not go into pitch with the conductor, who rather steered the conversation toward the difficulties of playing rhythmically with a soloist who wants to do everything ad libitum. Since Tony Pay was the clarinetist burdened with that impossible task, I'd like to hear his opinion. But what would the conductor have said if asked about the need for the clarinet to play exactly in tune with the flute and for both instruments to adjust pitch according to what interval in the chord they are playing? Would he have pointed out "well you know the pianist cannot do that--she's stuck with the notes as they have been tuned on the instrument."

So is such very accurate attention to pitch a value held by all conductors? Or do they care more about agreement in rhythm and phrasing and balanced dynamics, blend and beautiful tone color? And what of audiences? Are they as sensitive to pitch at the standard Mr. Zimmerman wants? Perhaps some listeners and even conductors would have found nothing very wrong with the performance that Mr. Zimmerman (correctly) faults for the clarinetist playing sharp. That player did play the rhythm well and phrased musically to match the flute and also had a fine, concentrated orchestral sound. So all was not lost!

Post Edited (2018-11-20 00:43)

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