quote:

Handel's Messiah is to me a score that must be played as written. This orchestral and choral work is inspired, and in its original form can be considered "perfect." Here, I use the term "perfect" to mean a piece that is in its original form utterly complete and without need of any change.

Whatever you do, DO NOT listen to Bernstein's recording of Messiah. LOL He takes a great deal of...liberty...with that score. Offensively so.

I was watching parts of a Korean amateur singing competition (The Legend, The New Singer). Basically a singing competition but the theme is popular bands/songs from the 80's.

I think I have a better feeling for interpretation (what the judges, who are original celebrity singers, called arrangement?).

There was one singer that I think knocked it out of the park - her version was more dramatic and passionate than the original. I think the judge who originally sang the song (elder judge with white hair and mustache) suggested that - something along the lines that he didn't know the song was that great. I guess his band and this song was very popular back in the day.

One version of the original:


The 'new singer amateur' version (the amateur singer is responsible for the arrangement:

I have a CD produced by BBC Classics entitled "Horszowski." It's a recording of one of his concerts. He performs 7 songs by Bach, 3 songs by Mozart, 4 songs by Szymanowski, and finishes out the concert with 3 songs by Chopin.

I have another 2 CD set of only Chopin recorded in the studio by a lovely young Chinese woman. She performs the music with absolute perfection, whereas Horszowski - playing live - makes a mistake here and there. Can you guess which recording has more feeling?

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
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I'm just here for the Kashmir. I don't want to interrupt the thread but years ago I posted this version and someone thanked me for it. I'm hoping this applies to the OP because otherwise, then, it doesn't belong here.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:

When they refer to interpretation, what is the musician modulating that's not reflected in the score?

Feel. Groove. Pocket. Those are things you can't put down on paper.

Listen to any computer play a MIDI file vs. a live musician.

My prime example: Phil Rudd. You can put the score for "Back In Black" in front of a 100 drummers and only Phil Rudd has that feel.

It's micro-adjustments in push/pull timing, dynamics, and just God-given talent.

There are a thousand little things that change from player to player. Vibrato, string pressure, pick attach, breath control, etc.

Then you can get into note choice, inversions, chord extensions, arpeggios. And don't forget space. What and when you DON'T play can have a big impact.

I think this is a good video to illustrate the difference between a literal and subjective interpretation of a score:

This is complicated still for me. I envy you with musical talent as I wish I could appreciate this more. Some of this is obvious. Like the the Thunderstruck variants. Others are more subtle like the Debussy variants- btw, I like the Copeland version the best, followed by Debussy’s version. Lang lang’s version was uncomfortable for me. It didn’t flow smoothly like Copeland’s and had awkward pauses for me. I don’t know if it’s more technically correct but lang lang is my least favorite.

I’ve let much of life pass me by. I haven’t smelt roses. I don’t know the differences in musical interpretation. I have no appreciation for the flavor profiles of bourbon.

But I want to learn to appreciate these things.

Classical music is a treasure trove of amazing music and performances. Two of my favorite intepretations are:
1. Artur Schnabel, pianist, with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Frederick Stock conducting Beethoven's Piano Concerto #5, Op. 73 "Emperor" from 1942. I had already heard many fine painists/orchestras play this piece, but when I heard his performance of especially the second movement, it was like I had never heard it before; I truely felt like this is what twinkling starlight must "sound" like!
2. Claudio Arrau, pianist, with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam/ Christoph Von Dohnanyi conducting Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 from 1963. Again, heard others playing it, but Arrau had such a feeling for the flow, his performance eclipsed all I'd heard before.

Emerson Lake And Palmer covered a lot of classical music. They did much more but these two are awesome.

Mars The Bringer of War

Romeo and Juliet