"STYLE" in performance as a WHIP OF SLAVERY!

[vladimirdounin]

         (Formerly: The meaning and importance of “STYLE” in performance. Now completed).
       
Before 1981 I had a fantastically nice and interesting life: I was a pianist free-lancer. Everyone knows that two things always poison our life: our bosses and our employees. And in these the sweetest years of my life I had no one boss above and no one employee under myself. My specialty was musical “911”: any time of the day and night I was ready to call taxi and immediately arrive to airport because some other pianist by some reasons could not fly. I was on “red list” of many concert organizations because they never heard from me single “NO” ever.

It was not easy. One time I almost died because of my “YES”. TV called me and asked if I could play tomorrow at 8 p.m. “Waltz” from Faust in Liszt transcription. I knew that any “NO” automatically moves you into “black list”. People on TV have a lot of other pianists listed in their books, and they will never waste their time for “NO” pianist again. Therefore after my “YES” I immediately went for shopping because I never even heard this Liszt transcription before. I had good luck to find this piece, but almost fainted when counted its pages: 41 or 43 (I do not remember exactly today but still can play this piece right now if somebody needs because this adventure is unforgettable for me).

I put mattresses and blankets on my piano and worked without break the all 23 hours that I had before the broadcasting on TV. Between us I can tell that in fact I missed 3 pages during this my performance but I always reserve for myself “emergency restart” points in my pieces and never am afraid of my normal human forgetfulness because of these points. So nobody noticed this my skipping and the host of TV program congratulated me with the words that could make me to faint again: “The Ministry of Culture Board was happy with your performance! What is happening with you? Didn’t you know that X. (famous pianist) refused to play in our program and took sick leave just by this reason, when this inspection of our program by Ministry of Culture became known to us?”

The longer I live – the more obvious it is for me that all our accidents are not accidental.
A few months later I came too late for exams in St. Petersburg Conservatory (I was detained for observation in epidemic zone). Rector Serebryakov took a pity on me and called his Admission Board to listen to me for “no more than 30 minutes”, because exams were finished already and I had no one chance in this year (this audition was just to console me with the dreams about the “possible future”). After 30 minutes Prof. Serebryakov told me: It is a pity that you did not arrive on time – “I see that you are used to play not just for chairs in the hall, like many of our students. But I can not do anything for you: The Ministry gave us money only for 2 post graduate students and we have accepted them already.
Though, you still have one only chance: right now, in your presence I will call to the Deputy Minister Kochetkov and tell him about our situation”. This conversation with Deputy Minister took 20 seconds. Kochetkov said: “I remember him, I watched him on TV a few weeks ago. I will give you money for him”. These words absolutely changed the whole my life.

But in 1981 my “sweet life” bumped against the very scary problem. I was called to police department and was given an “Official Warning” that I will be arrested and deported at least for 101 km. from Moscow in accordance with the acting Law. Because “somebody reported me to them”  as a “parasite – sponger”.

 “How much do you earn per year, comrade Colonel- Lieutenant?”  - I asked the Head of Police Department. “7 200 USD” – He answered (In Russian roubles, of course). “I can bring to you my pay slips for $ 12 000 in this year and prove that I did not work (had no concerts) only 19 days during the whole year” – I objected. Comrade Colonel-Lieutenant told me that he does not care about all my concerts and he is not an accountant to look at my pay slips, because he is simply a policeman instead. And he will prove this to me very effectively if I will be not employed “in a normal way” within the next 30 days.

It was almost impossible to find any job for pianist in Moscow overcrowded with them but I was lucky to meet one famous singer, who brought me to her boss in Moscow Philharmonics and “told to give me job”. In this way, I started in 1981 my “normal employment” with salary $2160 (after my previous $ 12 000) a year and 7 hours of coaching a day in the same cell instead of flying everywhere.

However, eventually I was noticed and started my concerts already “under the roof” of official employment, however it did not last too long because I “was noticed” again. In 1986 the boss of Piano Department Mr. Skavronsky invited me “for a serious conversation”. He explained to me that he appreciates my efforts to be a good and reliable employee, but unfortunately this is not enough for concert organization: each performer must have a talent above all. And he really regrets to tell me that my talent (in his and above him bosses’ opinion) “does not match in any way my huge income” from my concerts, while some other brilliant performers have no concerts at all. So I have to help him and my concert organization: I must tell to the people, who called me for concerts,  that I can not arrive, and recommend to them other pianists from the list, that he will give to me, instead.
He was very disappointed when I declined this generous offer.

A few weeks later I was called to play for “Artistic Council” of the Piano Department. I played Mozart “Fantasia in C Minor” and mentioned above “Waltz” from Faust Gounod-Liszt. It took half an hour, but the discussion “with the closed doors” took for them about 2 hours (I was kept outside, in corridor). Eventually doors opened and all of the members of the Council passed me with the heads turned from me away, they even did not want to look at me. Especially painful for me was the turned away from me head of the most beautiful lady-pianist I ever saw in my life (member of this council, I have no right to mention the name of one of the most prominent pianists of the world, who stood on his knees before her and begged her to marry him, but was rejected (the whole Conservatory knew about this). She preferred a really wonderful violinist, who died after only a few years of their marriage).

She was a very friendly to me (before this audition) since our (with her) playing together exams and concerts in Conservatory. I realize that I am not a gentleman, but I forgot and forgave all the members of this Council except her. And I retaliated to her “in the same currency”. Being in 1991 a Head Administrator of a Culture program of Inauguration of The first President of Russia B.Yeltsyn, I hired her with her charming daughter-violinist to perform in front of  B.Yeltsyn and M.Gorbachev. She and her daughter played brilliantly, but I did not say her one word giving all the rest artists envelopes. I even sent my secretary to do it instead of me. “She asked: don’t you remember her?” – My secretary told me. Of course, I remember her for the whole my life.       

After all the members passed me in a funeral like silence a very nice gentleman and a really good pianist Igor Khudoley embraced me friendly and invited to have a seat and talk. He told to me that my case is a very unusual one. Usually they have to fire pianists because these pianists played with a lot of “accidents”, while I played “smoothly”. Sometimes pianists can not play from memory – I had no problem here. However my way to play was absolutely unacceptable because of my STYLE: I played “everything upside down”. For example, instead of “confident, firm step on the first 2 pages of Fantasia” I played “absolutely not logical some kind of search for rescue”. I was really amazed with Igor’s sensitivity in music.

 “Igor” – I told him - “How could you feel exactly, what I meant playing this. For me this Fantasia is a collision of Human and Destiny with tragedy at the end. And the whole this Fantasia is about search for happiness and crash of each hope that this Human had during the whole this piece. About which "confidence" can you speak, if Mozart changed here the tonality of his music almost in each of the bars (especially on the mentioned first 2 pages) and the first time (in C minor Fantasia!) we hear real, stable C minor on the last page only?”.

 “You have no right to play Mozart like Beethoven” – Igor said, “You do not understand how important is STYLE in any performance! Each year I am invited for Mozart Festivals to Salzburg and other places in the world. Believe me, all of Mozart’s connoisseurs would be shocked if you once played for them like you played for us”.

Like many other musicians, I always can hear: does somebody speak to me sincerely or this is hypocrisy. I knew Igor as an honest person and I was sure he told to me what he really thought. I never played this Fantasia again since 1986 up to 2006, when I placed my recording in “AUDITION ROOM”, but I still did not listen to it self – it is too painful for me,  and I do not expect that I can play this work now spontaneously better than, when I was prepared specially for my audition in 1986.  Now I posted it only because it was important for me: what other pianists will say about it .

A few weeks later I was called to play special “inspection – audition” and 3 professors of Moscow Conservatory: Gornostayeva, Voskresensky  and Merzhanov found me incompatible with the Soviet Style and Soviet Standards of Performing. They took from me my license to play concerts, and by mere coincidence their children at the same moment were given job in “my” Philharmonics. I was really shocked with another coincidence later, when one of these professors’ children - daughter of  Prof. Voskresensky died then (in car crash) in a few hundred meters from the University in South Africa where I worked at that time. She had arrived from “my” Philharmonics to South Africa to accompany some good Russian cellist (he survived).

Fortunately (for me), USSR in 1986 was still existing and I played my “appeal-test” before Higher Commission of USSR (above the Russian) Ministry of Culture. They were surprised that I was the only pianist in Russia, who could not pass “inspection” in 1986, and gave me my license back. They even increased my “fee for concert”. So, that time my STYLE was better.

A few years later I played an “Evening of Mozart’s Sonatas” in South Africa. After I finished, some very impressively looking gentleman with 3 ladies approached me with the words: “Where did you get all these charming arrangements of Mozart?” I told that I did not play any arrangements, I played original sonatas by Mozart”. Gentleman got slightly angry and told me that he and these ladies are absolutely wrong persons to joke on this matter with them. He introduced himself and gave me his visiting card of professor of Vienna Conservatory, the others were his daughter – lecturer, and another daughter - student of the named Conservatory, and another lady was a German pianist (I do not remember from which city).

“Sorry, Sir” – he told, -   “We know each note of any Sonata by Mozart”. I invited them to check me. They sat around me and looked at my books, and I played for them all “my” sonatas again. “I never could imagine that style of performance can change the music to such extend!” – Gentleman said,  “Could you make for us your recordings, please?”. I told them that this was impossible, because 2 days before them some movie-shooting group tried to include me in their film (I did not mind).But security officer stopped them and called General Manager of the company (that invited me for a 3 month contract). G.M. declared me a “property of the company” and asked such a price for my play (if I saw some times this money for my performances), that “cinema” gave up and preferred to use their own artist, playing piano “mute”, they pasted somebody’s recording over later.

After a short discussion with other ladies in German (they did not know, that I knew German much-much better than English) they gave me USD 650 (in local currency) and expressed hope that I will play these Sonatas in Vienna one day. Who knows, maybe I will have this luck in my life?

A few weeks later some group of tourists took chairs closer to me and they were smiling and looking into my eyes, when I was playing my “program of slow and relaxing music” in accordance with my contract with the resort company. I was very uncomfortable with their smiling because this day was my double-shift day: 13 hours of pure music from 11 a.m. till 01 a.m. (with several breaks for meal) and I did not keep enough slow and relaxing songs in my head to play “without repeats during the day”. So, I played Chopin studies instead, missing dramatic minor, of course, in a very “slow, relaxing tempo”. I cheated my managers in this way many times, but after that my performance all these ladies and gentlemen tapped my shoulders and told that they never expected to get such a fun in South Africa. All of them were lecturers of Madrid conservatory.

I think that is enough for this time. Other stories with the conclusion will come later.

Happy New year to all my readers! Cheer!     Vladimir Dounin.


TO BE CONTINUED BELOW:

[molto-marcato]

A really moving story, thank you. Recently i had a discussion with a cellist who happens to be a good friend of mine. In his opinion all of Mozart is rather dull and boring. I strongly disagreed but couldn't convince him so far (my Mozart repertoire is not to mention of). I might consider playing some of your "unusual" interpretation for him  . Thanks

[houseofblackleaves]

Woah, that's amazing!  Hope to hear more from you soon!

P.S. I love the Gounod/Liszt waltz!

[vladimirdounin]

CONTINUATION AND ENDING of my "Meaning and Importance of "STYLE" in performance.

Two days ago I was going to continue this topic with another stories about the style in piano performing. However, today it does not make sense anymore because I quitted the music and sold my piano. Now I can not wait to start my new job as a Head of the Style Police Squad in my city instead. I am given an exclusive right to shut down any restaurant and arrest its chef and owner if they have any discrepancies with my own ideas about: what is the right style in food? 

I realize that each of you wants to quit the music and take my job as well. You have calculated, of course, expected lump sum of my entire “roll back”, bribes, gifts etc. from the owners to prevent shutting down and reopening their businesses.  Sorry, it is too late, ladies and gentlemen! I went over the limit on my credit cards but you can hear from TV and read in newspapers that I am (not you) “the undoubtedly best connoisseur of style out of all contemporary living on the planet”.

Picture this: you had a wonderful dinner in Italian restaurant. You are going to enjoy your last dessert and drink the last glass of Champaign. You are naïve and you do not know what I know from my spies already: the salad was rather in French style and Ice-cream was not in Neapolitan but rather in Sicilian style. This is the reason why I swarm in with my uniformed guys with guns shooting warning shots and shouting: “Freeze! Style Police!”

We arrest and drag away the owner with chef and then my guys put their pistols to the head of each guest and force them to swallow purgative pills. Nobody has right to leave the restaurant before the result of action of these pills will be obvious. How do you feel about this?   

Don't you want to say that you do not care about any STYLE in your food as long as you enjoyed your meal and were not given a raw, uncooked cat instead of fried chicken?
This is exactly the same what we have in music. Music in our lives is simply a food. Only this is the food for our ears, mind, heart and soul instead of mouth and stomach. And as long as it is enjoyable - it is all right, whatever you say and think about the stylistic accuracy. At least this is a living organism, that is always 1000 times better in any case than boring and ugly (though stylistically perfect) corpses. We, classical musicians,  have lost our audience exactly because of natural disgust of any human being to any dead flesh.

I was lucky to work with and listen to many big and great musicians. I am sure that all of them knew the word “style” but I can not remember that any of them mentioned it even once. Always I heard this word only from the “small but stinky” ones. This word is like a sting of scorpion: small and useless insect can easily attack and hurt with this sting any big and good human or animal. Because nobody knows exactly: what is “in style” and what is “beyond the style”, and especially, where is the border between “the right style” and my personal taste, which is not the Law for you and for her yet, by the way.

The Chinese communist dictator Mao-Tse-Tung  (newly hanged dictator was an innocent child in comparison to this guy) wrote the book of his quotes which each Chinese had to know by heart. The first sentence was “The gun creates the power!”

The originally good and useful word “style”, as it is used in contemporary environment, is only the mentioned gun in the hands of musical dictators and a lash of slavery in our musical world-wide totalitarian concentration camp.(Read my “I am free” in PERFORMANCE)     

With my best wishes (of FREEDOM – first),

Vladimir Dounin

[vladimirdounin]

Woah, that's amazing!  Hope to hear more from you soon!

P.S. I love the Gounod/Liszt waltz!

Today you can hear not from me but from somebody else, and this is, maybe, even more interesting:

When I was reading Dumas "20 years later" I could not imagine that this can be about me as well. However our magician Marik amazed me again: he acted as a medium in this case and called here (in AUDITION ROOM) my former boss Mr. Skavronsky, whose unfair reprisal towards me (in far from us 1986) was mentioned in this article: the boss took from me my License to play concerts. 

It is a typical sample of slave-owning system in music. And it is an excellent example of clash between robotic and FREE approach in our art.
Today my former boss repeated (with digital accuracy) exactly the same words that I heard from him 20 years ago, and I understand that HE has every reason to say this (if we are in HIS shoes, of course).

He says, according to Marik, that I have an "enormous ego". Imagine that we never played anything on our own, that we always only copied somebody else’s' recordings. What can we say about the size of somebody's "ego", if we compare his "ego"(of any size) to our "zero" (complete absence)? In this case each employee with personality should trigger aggression from such a boss automatically.

He says that I did not become a pianist. I am not a right judge for myself, of course. But what was the reason in this case to beg work from me (for himself with his “robots”), if he and his robots "became pianists" and I “did not”?  Compete in an honest way: on the stage with your art. Play your own concerts and do not rob "non-pianists" of their "licence to play" and of their concerts  instead (when these "non-pianists" are loved by audience, while you are hated).

He says that I have no talent at all. Maybe he is right, who knows? But why I sold out my halls many times, while my boss with his robots could get everything (privileges, titles, ranks, positions etc.) except the audience who are willing to listen to "robotic performances"?

Thanks a lot for an excellent illustration for my article!

Vladimir Dounin

[rc]

Hello Mr. Dounin.

That was very well written, compelling article.  Thank you, I enjoyed it.

I'm fairly isolated from any classical music community.  The city I live in is something of a cultural backwater, most people come here for a quiet place to retire or raise a family.  People who've travelled always notice the ignorance here, for the rest of the world.  I'm still learning and haven't entered into any sort of conservatory yet.

So I don't have much experience to know of any tyranny of style.  But I keep hearing about it.  Things certainly aren't as severe as they seemed to be in Soviet Russia, but now that I think of it my teacher does follow some arbitrary style-rules.  Things like having particular articulation in baroque music, always varying on repeats, and accents on the downbeat.  I'm not sure how much my teacher believes in these concrete rules, or if he's just teaching them to me because I plan on going to university and so I will have to play by their rules.  But in our lessons there is freedom, my teacher has no power over me so we work together, all we ask of each other is to have reasons for our interpretive decisions, mutual respect.

I'm sure the rules are often there due to historical research of the practice of the time, and will give a reliable interpretation.  But I agree that enjoyment of the music is a higher value than historical accuracy.

I've backtracked and have gone through some of your older posts, I gave a quick try with inverting accents and was delighted with the result.  I see your point; keeping the same accents maintains an easy coherence but becomes boring, varied accents is more interesting for the ear.  So we don't want people learning to do it only one way, because that enforces the public conception that classical music is boring.

I'm glad to have come across your posts, I'll print them off and keep them in mind.  I don't know what I'm in for when I enter academia but I'm not worried - whatever they may try and force, in the end it's the musician whose music is enjoyable who draws an audience.  In a free market, that's all that matters.

[m]

However our magician Marik amazed me again: he acted as a medium in this case and called here (in AUDITION ROOM) my former boss Mr. Skavronsky, whose unfair reprisal towards me (in far from us 1986) was mentioned in this article: the boss took from me my License to play concerts. 

Dear Mr. Dounin,

I have to tell you, you have quite a vivid imagination. I have no idea where did you get that crazy idea, or why and how in the world did you deside I called Mr. Skavronsky?
For the record, I'd never call him, or I'd never believe what he says, and personally, I'd just would not simply care about his opinion, or respect it. Maybe in your phantasies you'd like to see me doing that, but it'd exist only in your phantaises!

Excuse me, but to me in a bigger picture that is a good indication of YOUR STYLE. And if writing all of those nonsenses is your way of being "FREE" I have to tell you, I don't like that STYLE and I despise that kind of FREEDOM. Sorry, I'd prefer to be in your definition "brainwashed" but play a fair game, rather than to be "free" and following your rules. 

Sencirely, M

[vladimirdounin]

Dear Mr. Dounin,

I have to tell you, you have quite a vivid imagination. I have no idea where did you get that crazy idea, or why and how in the world did you deside I called Mr. Skavronsky?
For the record, I'd never call him, or I'd never believe what he says, and personally, I'd just would not simply care about his opinion, or respect it. Maybe in your phantasies you'd like to see me doing that, but it'd exist only in your phantaises!

Dear Marik,

I met many hundreds of people in my life and I had many dozens of bosses above me. No one except Mr. Skavronsky used the combination of words "enormous ego" (very unusual for Russian language, as you know) in each 5 minutes of any his speech. It worked for me as a "finger prints" in our case.

Another reason for my "identification" of Mr. Scavronsky as a sourse of your information in "Audition Room" was a statement, that I have no talent at all. I had a lot of criticism for my lacks in my life, however this exactly sentence (see above) I heard only from Mr. Skavronsky (see the text of my "Style as a whip").

Sorry, if I was not right and you have managed to find somebody else who is exactly like Mr. Skavronsky.

I invite you to be positive. What would be your advantage even if you will prove that I am very bad? Our art is in danger, we are losing our audience, nobody else will pay us except the people who come (or do not come) for our concerts.

If today YOU have played your concert enjoyably - it is MY success, MY victory. Because your audience will come tomorrow for MY concert as well. Because they will anticipate the same pleasure from me.

However, they will never come for YOUR concert, if I played today in a boring, ugly way, and yesterday some other pianist did the same. That is the real picture that many pianists do not want to understand. When I had power to choose pianists for the concerts (that I had to organize)  I always invited the best ones, because they worked for my image as well.

Thanks again for your wonderful illustrations for my posts!

Sincerely,

Vladimir Dounin.