I wonder if he won the Tchaikovsky competition because Richter gave him 100 out of 10 and all the others zero.
I guess he was off the Richter scale
A. Goldenweiser (famous Russian professor) asked L.Oborin: how could you give such a low mark to Cliburn? Oborin answered that he hates pianists who make faces during their performance. Goldenweiser said: "Cliburn does not make faces, he simply speaks with God!Unfortunately, it is not given to you even to understand".It is so easy to find what is imperfect in Cliburn, and it so difficult to learn from him!Try to understand, where is he different from you and many others?
And absolutely suddenly this young and imperfect pianist melted hearts of everyone in USSR into amazingly strong love to him.
Check out the women in the front row of this picture lolhttps://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5f/Van_Cliburn.jpg
Does anyone have a rational explenation about why he won?
Prometheus,I actually find it quite amusing you asking for rational explanation and giving such irrational arguments...
Van Cliburn won Tschaikovsky Competition not because of his good technique, it is obviously far from perfect and everybody knows this fact.His victory has nothing to do with homosexuals - the majority of Russians hate gays.He failed to pass even the 1st round, because 3 professors: Serebryakov, Oborin and some Western adjudicator, I do not want to remember his name, gave him 12% out of 100% (3 out of 25 in Russian system). It was "the hottest period" of "Cold War" when America and Russia almost started the nuclear war and the Russians were sure that the evil Americans are going to destroy them and their country at the first convenient moment. No Russian had love or positive feelings towards the Americans at that time.And absolutely suddenly this young and imperfect pianist melted hearts of everyone in USSR into amazingly strong love to him. After 1958 people were standing YEARS in queues to get the ticket and chance to hear him alive again. If he will announce his concert in any city of Russia tonight - tomorrow it will be sold out for any price of tickets.Do you know the secret? It just that he is so GOOD, he has such a wonderful, bright and clean soul, that everyone (except evil ones, of course) feels his goodness in his imperfect music. At the same time thousands of pianists are inspired with jealousy, with hatred, with EVIL. It is the first reason, why the majority of the people hate pianists and their music.After Cliburn's performance at the 1st round all the streets of Moscow were covered with the words "The First prize - to Cliburn!" The secret police reported to the top-authorities that the crowd will definitely beat everybody in (of) adjudicators’ board and crash everything in and around the Moscow Conservatory if somebody else will be declared a winner. It was a really passionate love of the people that never will end in Russia. And the authorities were so scared that they withdrew their instruction to give the victory only to someone of Soviet performers, but not to the foreigner.So, not Richter, not politicians, but the whole people gave the whole love to Cliburn: once and for ever. The 1st prize followed simply automatically. No one could divert it.Do the same to any people of any nation - and you will be "overrated" as well. Even with bad, slow octaves and awkward passages. However who needs you and hundreds of other "perfect" pianists with their fast octaves and passages? They play their concerts for empty seats. Spite and Jealousy are very bad friends for any musician, but especially for pianist - because the audience always sees what is inside of us and we are permanently in their focus. A. Goldenweiser (famous Russian professor) asked L.Oborin: how could you give such a low mark to Cliburn? Oborin answered that he hates pianists who make faces during their performance. Goldenweiser said: "Cliburn does not make faces, he simply speaks with God!Unfortunately, it is not given to you even to understand".It is so easy to find what is imperfect in Cliburn, and it so difficult to learn from him!Try to understand, where is he different from you and many others?Vladimir Dounin.
Do you know the secret? It just that he is so GOOD, he has such a wonderful, bright and clean soul, that everyone (except evil ones, of course) feels his goodness in his imperfect music. At the same time thousands of pianists are inspired with jealousy, with hatred, with EVIL. It is the first reason, why the majority of the people hate pianists and their music. A. Goldenweiser (famous Russian professor) asked L.Oborin: how could you give such a low mark to Cliburn? Oborin answered that he hates pianists who make faces during their performance. Goldenweiser said: "Cliburn does not make faces, he simply speaks with God!Unfortunately, it is not given to you even to understand".
Two things, mate:God is dead.
Keep in mind that this comment is offensive to many (including me).
Van is so much more than a pianist...he really is a legend...an icon...an ideal...a fairytale...a dream. The signifigance of the historic and political climate surrounding him can't be ignored in considering his amazing success: he's as as much, actually prolly alot more, of a political, cultural and charismatic wonder as he is a pianistic one. I doubt there will ever be another like him.
Don't be so childish. It would be foolish to expect respect for believing that invisible little elephants dance under my bed while I am sleeping. Believing in the christian version of god isn't very different.When theists get respect from atheists this is because they feel sorry for them.
Where did you get this information?
invisible little elephants dance under my bed while I am sleeping.
It's this whole thing with being either a good pianist or a good musician. Like Horowitz and Rubinstein, or even Clementi and Mozart.