There was an exceptionally talented violin player in my daughters high school orchestra last year who performed a Vivaldi Concerto solo with piano accompaniment at a concert last year. The precision but with feeling with which he played was breathtaking. The distance between him and the average player was huge.
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Calling certain music "classical" insults all other forms of music, all periods and artist over the centuries that are just as much masters of their craft, but not from certain parts of Europe. But I think that was the original intent. The "Classical period" at least takes some of the insult away. Artist always try to make a name for themselves by coming up with "their" version of certain pieces. Hit and miss at best. There are so many versions of Vivaldi's four seasons that I can't keep track. Would be nice to see a "top ten list". enjoy |
Right you are, Al. Classical immediately followed Baroque (Renaissance proceeded Baroque, Romantic followed Classical). The early practitioners of "period" Baroque performance (now referred to as historically-informed) were faulted for their lack of technique and spotty intonation (playing in tune), as well as what was considered by the old guard as the "ugly" tonality of Baroque-style instruments. The demands of Classical music, orchestras, and concert halls, required a change in the design of orchestra instruments, to make them louder and to project more. And Classical music was performed with far more string vibrato than was Baroque, and by far more instruments (Symphony Orchestras are comprised of FAR more instruments than are Baroque). Classical was also generally written to be performed at slower tempi than was common in Baroque. Conductors and orchestras over the years started performing Baroque music in the Classical style: too slow (slower than the markings on the scores), and with too much vibrato. No, the early period performers weren’t as precise as their major orchestra peers, but they were playing the music closer to how it had been written to be played. The movement and it’s practitioners have progressed to the point where historically-informed musicians are now amongst the best in the world. And the movement has forced the conservative, old guard conductors, orchestras and their musicians, to join in, performing the music as the composer intended. There are still those who prefer Baroque performed as they have heard it their whole lives, by a Symphony Orchestra. Each to his own!
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Speaking of "as it was intended to be played" ... Read the sections starting at "Intended Tuning" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Well-Tempered_Clavier |
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