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In the Forum: Musical Discussions
In the Thread: Prokofiev
Post Subject: Adequacy of performancePosted by steverino on: 1/16/2022
 Paul S wrote:
As for Brahms, we have discussed here that not all performers or performances make the most of the compositions. And this might apply to any number of composers, that one seldom hears their compositions rendered at their best. Back to the "20th C" notions, it seems like the conductor, at least, has to have a viable sense of "different" Music, itself.


Paul S

Certainly a minimum adequacy of  performance is necessary to assess or enjoy a composition. I believe though that Brahms lived late enough that we had a direct tradition well into the recorded music era almost up to CDs. So I wouldn't worry that Brahms music recordings are performed very far from what he would have heard. The big difference obviously would be technical proficiency which is higher today. As for modern music composers learned the lesson of performer vagaries even by 1900. The specificity of the orchestration indications becomes much greater around that time. Again the principal problems are now overcome by the greater technical proficiency of performers. It is Beethoven and earlier where we are at sea in terms of knowing what the style of performance was outside of a few bits of knowledge from books of the time.

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