Understanding Interpretation in Classical Music
Posted by: Whizzkid on 24 July 2008
Hi all,
I had a bit of a revelation the other night while listening to a CD from Sir Charles Mackerras & The SCO Beethoven cycle. When I first purchased this box set I'd been used to, though briefly, a more dramatic interpretation of Beethovens music from older conductors like Furtwangler and Karajan and Mackerras' style seem to be too fast and lacking in drama, I thought to myself how can someone get it so wrong, but now that I've own the box set for a few weeks I finally realised that night what he was getting at. His interpretation is just a more upbeat and jubilant with a more celebrational aspect to it rather than the slower paced Furtwangler that has dread and forboding mixed in with more beautiful aspects, a sign of the times he lived in? But after reading Florestans little "outburst" in the Sonata's thread I feel I understand why Classical lovers have many different readings of the same score. I did start to dismiss this box set because it did not fit in with my limited understanding of Beethoven's music, I have always thought that it should be heavy on the drama and light on the romance but hey! I don't really know now what is the right way to play this music now, I'm enjoying the Mackerras more because of this revelation but I think I still err on the dramatic edge of the older performances but saying that i could change my mind in the future. This understanding has lead me to another dimension in listening to music the differences that two different conductors can bring to a score is quite incredible really. Am I slow to this realisation or have other people had a similar experience.
Dean..
I had a bit of a revelation the other night while listening to a CD from Sir Charles Mackerras & The SCO Beethoven cycle. When I first purchased this box set I'd been used to, though briefly, a more dramatic interpretation of Beethovens music from older conductors like Furtwangler and Karajan and Mackerras' style seem to be too fast and lacking in drama, I thought to myself how can someone get it so wrong, but now that I've own the box set for a few weeks I finally realised that night what he was getting at. His interpretation is just a more upbeat and jubilant with a more celebrational aspect to it rather than the slower paced Furtwangler that has dread and forboding mixed in with more beautiful aspects, a sign of the times he lived in? But after reading Florestans little "outburst" in the Sonata's thread I feel I understand why Classical lovers have many different readings of the same score. I did start to dismiss this box set because it did not fit in with my limited understanding of Beethoven's music, I have always thought that it should be heavy on the drama and light on the romance but hey! I don't really know now what is the right way to play this music now, I'm enjoying the Mackerras more because of this revelation but I think I still err on the dramatic edge of the older performances but saying that i could change my mind in the future. This understanding has lead me to another dimension in listening to music the differences that two different conductors can bring to a score is quite incredible really. Am I slow to this realisation or have other people had a similar experience.
Dean..