[78-L] Gershwin 1, Mutter 0

[Mark Bardenwerper]

On 10/1/2011 10:27, David Lewis wrote:
> 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.
>
>
I retract my rash statement.

Perhaps you are right. Two things seem rather obvious; the piece was 
rushed, as if it were the minute waltz done in 45 seconds, a symptom of 
being placed just before a break. And she looked harried, uncomfortable 
and unhappy, perhaps tired. Her face showed what looked more like a 
grimace than any sort of passion. A big, though pretty girl, her setting 
was not thought out at all. Too far from the piano, she appeared out of 
scale. As someone stated, a bad showing. And not her fault.

Letterman should be ashamed, not her. He literally threw her out on the 
stage.

-- 
Mark L. Bardenwerper, Sr. #:?)
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