[78-L] Gershwin 1, Mutter 0

[Michael Biel]

From: Rodger Holtin <rjh334578 at yahoo.com>
> I agree with db on this one!   Rodger


Actually I tend to also.  Having now seen this, I have heard her do this
arrangement on recording, and it is very inventive.  I think the problem
is possibly the studio.  Looking at her face, including before she
started, I think she had trouble hearing the piano and when she was
playing was having trouble even hearing herself.  It especially affected
the harmonic playing -- which is the squeaking that youse guys have been
complaining about.  That is not easy to play properly because it
requires a very light touch.  I've been in that studio, and broadcast
studios like this tend to just soak up the sound.  Notice during the end
piece with Letterman that she could hardly be heard when she spoke, even
though Letterman with his clip on mic was just a couple of feet away.  

Now, as to dl's comments that a critic might have felt her playing was
more full bodied because he might have had a better view of her bare
shoulders, I was disappointed at how tame her dress was in this
broadcast.  She usually wears much more daring gowns.  Most of these
fiddle players have gotten a lot of mileage over their looks.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com  



--- On Sat, 10/1/11, DAVID BURNHAM <burnhamd at rogers.com> wrote:

From: DAVID BURNHAM <burnhamd at rogers.com>

Mutter really is a very fine musician in her usual genre but all of the
negative comments about this performance are right on the mark!  It must
have been embarrassing for both of them, although Previn, who is much
more at home with this style, sounded just fine;  Mutter's first entry
seemed to be on the wrong beat and it just didn't get any better.  I
come to this with prejudice, however, because I'm really not fond of
jazz violin, whether it's Venuti, Grappelli or now, Mutter.