Is it Ok to KopyKat great pianist's performances?

[thalberg]

Question--how many of us have ever, ever heard a pianist and thought, "oh, he's just copying Horowitz?"

I can honestly say I have never heard that comment from anyone or about anyone.  What does that mean?  That it's impossible?  That no one ever tries to copy him?  What?

I'm quoting myself!!  Haha it's a first.....

Actually I just want to elaborate and add a most interesting thing to this discussion:

My recording in the audition room of Chopin Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2 is my attempt to impersonate Rubinstein.

Take a listen and see what you think.....am I way, way off the mark?  Or would you have heard me and thought, "Oh he's just copying Rubinstein?" 

[zheer]

Take a listen and see what you think.....am I way, way off the mark?  Or would you have heard me and thought, "Oh he's just copying Rubinstein?" 

  My first thoughts were, this is piano playing at a very high level,infact very original never heard it played like that,but then again i've not heard Rubenstine play this nocturne.

[gerry]

I'm quoting myself!!  Haha it's a first.....


Take a listen and see what you think.....am I way, way off the mark?  Or would you have heard me and thought, "Oh he's just copying Rubinstein?" 

Actually I was thinking - "Oh he's just copying Thalberg!" - not Sigismund

[thalberg]

Actually I was thinking - "Oh he's just copying Thalberg!" - not Sigismund

 

Are you saying you thought it was original?

[gerry]

Yes, uniquely so.

[thalberg]

Wow, thanks.    Well then, maybe trying to copy the great artists can help lead us to our own interpretation.

[gerry]

Wow, thanks.    Well then, maybe trying to copy the great artists can help lead us to our own interpretation.

That pretty much sums up my feeling on this subject. I often hear a particularly moving performance and find myself running to the piano to see if I can evoke that unique quality that moved me. When I do, it invariably enhances my own interpretation. I look back on the original question posed on this thread and my answer is:

No I don't think it's OK to Kopykat entire performances. I think pianists should have their own interpretation solidly in place first, then you can better hear qualities in other interpretations that differ from yours and allow them influence you accordingly.

[leonidas]

Great contributions thus far.

Perhaps consider though, that a particular performance is practically perfect in every way, and you consider it 'definitive'...


Every great performance has it's own persuasive inner musical logic, it all inevitably relates to itself at every moment.

One does not need to lead the same life as the artist to grasp the beauty of their work, and that's one of the wonderful things about art, we are forced to see ourself in someone else's creation.

[gerry]

Great contributions thus far.

Perhaps consider though, that a particular performance is practically perfect in every way, and you consider it 'definitive'...

I try to avoid the using the term 'definitive' without qualifying it with something like 'one of the more definitive ' or 'among the most definitive' which leaves room for many varying interpretations.

Every great performance has it's own persuasive inner musical logic, it all inevitably relates to itself at every moment.

This is precisely why most attempted literal kopykat interpretations are unsuccessful.

One does not need to lead the same life as the artist to grasp the beauty of their work, and that's one of the wonderful things about art, we are forced to see ourself in someone else's creation.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[leonidas]

This is precisely why most attempted literal kopykat interpretations are unsuccessful.

Although with intimate and repeated listening to certain performances, we can come to a level where we expect everything, there are no surprises, and surely if we had the technical ability to physically recreate it, we could.

I think people assume that copying a performance is impossible because of all the subtle little things, and while that is a difficulty, a logical and brilliant interpretation, no matter how seemingly capricous and colourful, should have a sense of inevitability after extended exposure.
See the bigger picture, and notice how everything relates.

Great performers are like great painters, while focussing on little colouristic details, still keeping a sense of how it relates and appears as part of the whole work.