[78-L] Gershwin 1, Mutter 0

[David Lewis]

If you are not very well disposed to Herbert von Karajan, and I realize that Mr. Lennick is not so, it is 
easy to dismiss ASM's talents as a violinist; she was indeed his protege, and her first husband was
HvK's personal secretary, a man much older than she was at the time they were married.

However, I have heard her under far better conditions, in the Brahms sonatas at the Chandler, and
ASM is overall an outstanding, world class violinist. I have never found her very effective in pop violin
lit, whereas she excels is in things like the Thais Meditation, the Waxman Carmen Fantasy, the Sibelius
Concerto.

This television appearance was indeed a poor outing for ASM. It seems every time a classical violinist 
does American TV that feel they have to trot out this well worn Heifetz transcription. In all due respect
to Maestro Previn, he got off to a rough start in the accompaniment but had warmed up by the bridge;
ASM was never able to regain, or even to really gain, her footing in this performance. Anne-Sophie is
a very nice and unpretentious person and I was really sorry that it went this way for both of them.

Uncle Dave Lewis
uncledavelewis at hotmail.com