Classical performing art.

[andresdo]

Consider this deeply. I am a young man, (18) but I finished my grade 8 exam Cum Laude. Although I have many development-space left for touch to piano-keys, I feel generally that, amoungst professional players, women are the beter classical piano players i.e of Mozart etc. What do you say?
email me on devillierssenator@gmail.com

[Kassaa]

The last thing you need for Beethoven is a feminine touch, and my favourite Mozart players are men.

[beethoven2]

i personally think, even though i'm a female, that the best concert pianists are male.

The last thing you need for Beethoven is a feminine touch

ahem...ahem...excuse me.

[Kassaa]

i personally think, even though i'm a female, that the best concert pianists are male.

ahem...ahem...excuse me.

Of course, you sometimes need a light and touching sound, but that has nothing to do with having a feminine touch.

[beethoven2]

Of course, you sometimes need a light and touching sound, but that has nothing to do with having a feminine touch.

you just haven't heard me play beethoven

[Kassaa]

you just haven't heard me play beethoven

And you haven't heard mine either!

[beethoven2]

Of course, you sometimes need a light and touching sound, but that has nothing to do with having a feminine touch.

i do agree with this.  it does have nothing to do with feminie touch.  some of the best recordings i have heard of the first mov. of moonlight are men. 

but if u r suggessting that women can't 'get into' beethoven's 'brutal'/fast/enticing/alluring/wonderful songs..............

[Kassaa]

i do agree with this.  it does have nothing to do with feminie touch.  some of the best recordings i have heard of the first mov. of moonlight are men. 

but if u r suggessting that women can't 'get into' beethoven's 'brutal'/fast/enticing/alluring/wonderful songs..............

Where did I say that? I consider Perahia's tone feminine for example, and I don't like him at all for any composer. Myra Hess, Clara Haskil (and Argerich, but haven't heard her playing any Beethoven sonata) are examples of women who don't have this unnecessary careful tone.

[beethoven2]

okay. i understand now what u mean.  i got to thinking to deep for myself.

[pianistimo]

there are many great women artists that can do just fine without having to be compared by gender.  what if we had a stage where the curtains remained drawn.  would people be able to tell gender so well?  i thought idil biret was a man when i first heard her.  she has a lot of strength.  and, yet - she is female. 

why the arguments?  i don't see any.  we're both more similar than different.  a man always has some feminine parts and a woman - strength and endurance like a man.  in fact, some women are found to have more endurance than some men - although probably not as much strength.

who care?  i don't care.  nothing anybody on this forum could say - would make me think 'oh, it's hopeless - i'll never be able to play like a man.'   why would i want to play like a man?  we're all made differently.  can't we just appreciate each other? 

btw, there is nothing religious in this.  in fact, for me - i find it strange that there is LESS tolerance from those who propose that we all came from apes.  maybe it's a male hierarchichal thing.  men are better at everything .  ahahahahhaah  you are full of yourself, kassaa.

if anything - it is STILL a time factor for women.  women generally have both responsibilities at home and at work.  therefore less actual work hours (practice time) if they are juggling their own job, practice, children, cooking, cleaning,e tc.  and, to be realistic about it - it is very hard to be a concert artist, woman, mother, etc.  but it has been done.  same for women composers.  perhaps this is why many women and men artists prefer to be alone and not married?

somehow, i think personality enters the picture more than sex - in playing beethoven, mozart, and whatever else we are discussing.  also, interest.  if you play something many years - you become familiar with it's intricacies.  murray perahia has studied mozart much more deeply and complexly than most pianists who play mozart for 'fun.'

[pianistimo]

also, i don't buy into the theory that playing the piano takes a lot of strength.  it takes a lot of mental stamina and relaxation techniques.  otherwise you'll get carpal tunnels.  imo, women relax a bit better than most men - although not all.  i think i've heard a few guys play in an extremely meditative and relaxed state.  some want to 'pound.'

how about an even vote - the same for men and women?

[andresdo]

Hello there, forum users.

Thanks for the replies so far. Especially to Pianistimo! Also happy about Beethoven2's second message that says he'll think deeper about this..because the question is not so shallow as you think.

The question perhaps should be better explained. I asked: bearing in mind that we need a lot of feminine touch (that can be rephrased as a subtle and soft [pianissimo] touch) to play classical music on the piano, who would be the better professional performers of Mozart, Beethoven, etc?

The question is not set to down-play your opposite sex, but rather to give credit to the best players of the soft parts in the classical music-literature. I'm speciffically not concerned here with the forte-parts, as that is quite easy to do. But, we all know, that it's more difficult to play soft music, that is also technical. I asked some people who has their masters-degrees in music this same question, and it is indeed something to think about. Please vote.

[Kassaa]

Hello there, forum users.

Thanks for the replies so far. Especially to Pianistimo! Also happy about Beethoven2's second message that says he'll think deeper about this..because the question is not so shallow as you think.

The question perhaps should be better explained. I asked: bearing in mind that we need a lot of feminine touch (that can be rephrased as a subtle and soft [pianissimo] touch) to play classical music on the piano, who would be the better professional performers of Mozart, Beethoven, etc?

The question is not set to down-play your opposite sex, but rather to give credit to the best players of the soft parts in the classical music-literature. I'm speciffically not concerned here with the forte-parts, as that is quite easy to do. But, we all know, that it's more difficult to play soft music, that is also technical. I asked some people who has their masters-degrees in music this same question, and it is indeed something to think about. Please vote.

Why do you consider subtle and soft feminine? Horowitz is an example of the most beautiful pianissimo you'll ever hear.

Also, I think when you have reached a certain level of pianism, playing forte is as difficult as playing piano, simply because you of often have an ugly tone when playing really loud.

[zheer]

  Looking through my classical music CD collection, it seems that not only are all the leading composers  men, but so are the leading pianists. Obviously women can play as well and even better than men, but the results do show that men are better than women in piano playing. i gess it's a little like asking are the french better in performing classical music than the polish, to answer this one needs to look at the results over the years.

   However things may change, for example who knew that the asians would make such outstanding pianists some 60-70 years ago.

[nightingale11]

  Looking through my classical music CD collection, it seems that not only are all the leading composers  men, but so are the leading pianists. Obviously women can play as well and even better than men, but the results do show that men are better than women in piano playing. i gess it's a little like asking are the french better in performing classical music than the polish, to answer this one needs to look at the results over the years.

I disagree. Sure I have no proof that that women and men are equally good at the piano but the reason why the majority of great composers were men is because of the society. Women in the 18-19th century were not ought to become great composers and pianists they would be a good wife. It's because of the society's look on women there are not many recorded great women composers/pianists in history.

[zheer]

I disagree.

  Disagree all you like, but for me it is male composers and pianists that i like the most. It is 2006 and what do we still have , Kissin, Lang Lang, yundi li ect ect. Am sur we also have great young female pianist but i honestly dont like them as pianists.