What a passionate topic. You are jumping to all sorts of conclusions (the hoax chatter is "cruel," people trying to "destroy her reputation," inventing all kinds of "motivations," etc.) But I notice in all your reminiscience of Joyce Hatto, and Ivan Davis', you don't mention anything about hearing the playing live. If you have, or if he has, please, tell us about it! That is th eonly way to counteract these rumors: not mentioning letters or interviews, or passing personal acquaintances.
Walter Ramsey
I was rash and uninformed about the revelations regarding this very possible Hatto hoax. I've been traveling for the past two weeks and pretty much out of touch with this controversy. I should have read the links describing the evidence of a hoax before I responded, but such rumors have been floated for months now, but mostly from disgruntled, cynical pianists who pretty much detest everyone's playing but their own. So, I dismissed it.
And, no, I have not heard from anyone who has actually heard Joyce play live. Odd, isn't it, now that I think about it.
My apologies for attacking those who presented this very convincing evidence. I stand corrected. And, I must say, very upset at this turn of events.
Clearly, the alleged hoax involves ripping off the work of obviously very brilliant pianists, so at least I'm not embarrassed by my admiration of the recordings involved.
My question -- as it must be yours as well -- is why would anyone bother to perpetuate such a hoax? Concert Artists is such a tiny label with no distributor, as I understand it, outside of the UK. So, the alleged hoax couldn't possibly be for commercial reasons, right? In fact, ordering from them is next to impossible. Never once did a shipment arrive. No loss to me, of course, since their policy is to ship first and ask for payment only upon receipt. I have ordered, in the past, over 15 CDs -- none of which have ever arrived. I have had to use other UK distributors.
I would like to offer the anecdotal evidence I have that might possibly offer information that would refute the hoax, but it's private, privileged information. And, even at that, it's not that substantial. I can only say that Hatto and Barrington-Coupe's appearance of earnestness, honesty and integrity in email communications with me and others has been so convincing that even I am shocked that it could be otherwise. Both have presented themselves as thoroughly guileless and honorable, motivated in these recordings only by a wish to document Hatto's mastery of a vast repertoire that cancer and critical disinterest prevented her from putting on display in public recitals.
But the evidence of a hoax is frighteningly persuasive. Even in Hatto's last days -- in email communications to people other than myself -- she offered no hint whatsoever that something sinister was brewing. In fact, I have seen transcripts of these emails in which she discusses her most recent recording projects, her deep gratitude for finally getting some recognition for her accomplishments, her stoicism in the face of cancer, and a total lack of bitterness at her fate. Of course, only now does it occur to me that she herself may never have written those emails. I find that to be horribly depressing.
And, yes, it occured to me months ago that a woman in her seventies suffering from cancer would be hard pressed to perform such difficult works. Yet . . . I don't wish to be so cynical as to rule out such an eventuality.
But why would anyone do this? An elaborate trick on the critics who dismissed her years ago? Perhaps. Worse, something pathological that even I don't want to think about. I wonder if recording engineers will analyze her Dukas recording. Here, too, is a chance to narrow it down. I only know of two recordings of that sonata, the best being Hamelin's, and already said to pale before hers! It's very confounding, isn't it?
I suppose if I hadn't had personal contact with the late artist, her husband and others who thought they had known her well, I wouldn't be so passionate about this topic. If this truly is a hoax, it would be very hard not to feel betrayed.
Topic: Joyce Hatto