Authentic Performance - Music-Web Forums

MaestroX · #1 07-10-2006, 07:41 PM

Does anyone here specialise here in any form of authentic performance? The sound is much different, and in my opinion, it sounds better.

So... does anyone else play in period ensembles?

Will Kirk · #2 08-10-2006, 03:20 AM

Ensembles only? Or just in general?

applovr · #3 09-10-2006, 03:21 AM

I play baroque music with the avon area baroque players - it is so fun, and I get lost of solos!

MaestroX · #4 09-10-2006, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by Sor Is My Hero

Ensembles only? Or just in general?

Just in general

I play baroque music with the avon area baroque players

Cool, I've never played in any period ensembles, I play the clarinet so its not much before classical times. What sort of music is it that you play? Do the string players use gut strings?

ttw · #5 09-10-2006, 02:54 PM

Any attempt at understanding the music is useful. It's not always easy to determine what is "authentic" though. I'm not sure that a Bach cantata sung out-of-tune by runny nose school children in an unheated church with an audience that would rather hear Telemann is the best experience. (Although, it's still common.)

Recordings of Mahler by those who knew him sound much different from "modern, authentic" versions. Similarly for Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern.

Bassoonery · #6 09-10-2006, 04:18 PM

Originally Posted by ttw

Similarly for Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern.

I didn't know there was an authentic (or even agreed) way to play serialism - Can you describe it at all? I just assumed that it had to be very precise.

MaestroX · #7 09-10-2006, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Bassoonery

I didn't know there was an authentic (or even agreed) way to play serialism - Can you describe it at all? I just assumed that it had to be very precise.

Now this is new to me. I've always thought of authentic performances as being an issue with much older music. Such as the use of authentic horns in mozart's pieces.

Thorolf · #8 09-10-2006, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Bassoonery

I didn't know there was an authentic (or even agreed) way to play serialism - Can you describe it at all? I just assumed that it had to be very precise.

When ttw wrote:

Originally Posted by ttw

Recordings of Mahler by those who knew him […]. Similarly for Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern.

I presume he refers to the personal connection that may give valuable hints, not that it exists an “authentic” tradition for every genre.

Regards

ttw · #9 09-10-2006, 08:26 PM

Much of the "serial" music was originally performed with large amounts of rubato and other "romantic" stylistic gestures. At least according to contemporary reports.

Similarly, we have the Bruno Walter recordings of Mahler to compare with the more "modern" versions.

There are "unwritten" performance practices in all genres.

Bassoonery · #10 09-10-2006, 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by ttw

Much of the "serial" music was originally performed with large amounts of rubato and other "romantic" stylistic gestures. At least according to contemporary reports.

Wow that's new to me! Having been taught that serialism arose from a desire to counteract the romantic movement it's quite surprising but I expect it makes the music much more interesting and enjoyable. Very cool. Thanks!