Comments on: Cliburn: An article beyond the pale…poison Iv(r)y

By: Del Neroni

Del Neroni — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:13:36 +0000

I would like to add an observation that I have not seen elsewhere.
Nobu was clearly on his way to a solo gold until the Rachmaninoff 2nd. It was that one performance that turned supporters into doubters and probably caused a tie for the gold rather than an outright win. Now, I only saw it on webcast, but it seems clear that Conlon and the orchestra are partly to blame. They entered at a different tempo and it took most of the rest of the first movement to get things back together. It made Nobu unsure of himself and of what was going on, that is why he was tentative throughout most of that performance, leading some to question whether he had what it took to play Rachmaninoff, apparently including Mr. Hawley when he asks “So what if Rach 2 isn’t impedance-matched to his skills?”
Well, how often has the FWSO and Conlon performed with a blind pianist? Once before, in the Chopin concerto with Nobu, the previous night I believe, and that went brilliantly in spite of limited rehersal, perhaps leading to a false sense of security. Playing with a blind pianist is something that takes more practice time than they had, and that was a big part of the problem.
As to whether Nobu can play the Rachmianoff with an orchestra, I refer you to the following, absolutely brilliant performance from a year earlier with an orchestra and conductor who have played with Nobu before:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk16nULOA68
I hope that dispels any thought that Nobu is not up to the task of playing this concerto, at least when he is working with a conductor and orchestra who are used to him and with enough practice time so that everybody knows what is going on.

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By: Judy Goldthorp

Judy Goldthorp — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:05:51 +0000

Bravo! Agree with all your points. I started watching the Webcasts and enjoyed them so much, that I started attending some of the performances. What a great experience! Went to the Bass Hall for some; watched the live feed in the Cliburn Recital Hall for others. The day after Nobu’s Chopin piano concerto (which I saw in the recital hall), I was listening to WRR, as they played the second movement. Although I had heard it the night before, hearing it again had me nearly in tears. I can’t explain it, but I recognize it.

I think the jury did get it right.

And have the DSO at the Cliburn? I think that Amon Carter would roll over in his grave!

By: Ron Spigelman

Ron Spigelman — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:03:47 +0000

Marko
The FWSO is a fantastic orchestra, continually improving. The Cliburn schedule is grueling (4 and sometimes 6 concertos a day including rehearsals) and they handle it with worldly class. Plus, the Cliburn happens in Fort Worth, always has and always will….it’s where Van himself calls home, so no other orchestra will ever be considered.

I think the picks this year actually represent the awareness that winners have to be selected based on many things including most importantly potential for growth, something that sometimes may not have been done in the past. Christina Ortiz is a past winner and great, so is Andre Michel Schub, and don’t forget Steven de Groote who was phenomenal but tragically his life was cut short in his 30’s.

By: Marko Velikonja

Marko Velikonja — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:13:39 +0000

Now, I’m probably in an even worse position than Benjamin Ivry to make any comment about this, as I saw nothing of the Cliburn, live or on the web. But to be fair:

- In past versions, the Ft. Worth Symphony has struck me as quite mediocre, and made me wonder why the Cliburn folks didn’t splurge on the nearby Dallas SO. OTOH, I generally take the view that any orchestra that pays a decent wage these days is at a minimum likely to be good, if not excellent. So perhaps things have improved here. Or maybe they just needed a little more rehearsal time.

- The Cliburn has a rather poor track record of picking winners who go on to greatness. Radu Lupu is arguably the only one who has done so, though we might need to give some more recent winners a chance.

As for the comment about a blind pianist, that’s sheer idiocy. If he can make great music, that’s all that matters.

By: Cliburn: Striking Human Gold! – Defending the Jury part 1 | by Ron Spigelman | Sticks and Drones

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:29:33 +0000

[...] to that bigoted, ignorant writer Benjamin Ivry from the Wall Street Journal to whom which I responded to also. In all of this he was the one who was truly [...]