gender differences in playing style [Bob asks]

[Bob]

I was wondering this after reading this thread

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4521.0.html


Are there any performer who do sound like the traditional views of their gender?  For example, a female performer who has a "feminine" sound (pretty, weaker maybe), or that performs more "feminine" music?  (if there is such a thing)

And the same for guys?

(Don't bit my head off.  I'm just wondering.)

[donjuan]

I think Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter play "like men".. and Myra Hess plays like a guy too........(snicker)... ...

and horowitz- he is like half man, half piano..
and Claudio Arrau, he is like......hmm..... ?? ....what the heck is he??!?! When I watch his hands, they seem almost like paws, so I guess Arrau is a.....euurrr....dog?  ??

Maybe Janina Fialkowska plays like a woman..  I thought she had a very light touch, even in fortissimo passages.

[galonia]

I don't know about playing, but apparently I compose in a feminine style (whatever that means).  In high school, I was the only girl in the music class, and every time my compositions were performed, everyone would ooh and aah and sigh and say, "How pretty!"   

[julie391]

put simply - males in general play more masculine, and females in general play more feminine.

of course this is as variable as femininity and masculinity in people's personalities - so you can end up with males playing more feminine, and females more masculine.

i would suppose in short -
feminine = light delicate
masculine - bold and with bravura

[liszmaninopin]

I would actually say, from those performances I've seen, that if there's a way they can be stereotyped, that females are more moderate.  Not necessarily dainty, but it seems as if males play both more loudly and more softly.  Females are inclined more towards clean playing, I think.  Granted, these are overbroad generalizations, so don't take them as any more than that.

[julie391]

yes, you mean moderate as in undramatic?

i agree

[anda]

put simply - males in general play more masculine, and females in general play more feminine.

of course this is as variable as femininity and masculinity in people's personalities - so you can end up with males playing more feminine, and females more masculine.

so, in conclusion: you can end up with males playing more masculine or more feminine, and females playing more feminine or more masculine?

i totally agree.

[anda]

I would actually say, from those performances I've seen, that if there's a way they can be stereotyped, that females are more moderate.  Not necessarily dainty, but it seems as if males play both more loudly and more softly.  Females are inclined more towards clean playing, I think.  Granted, these are overbroad generalizations, so don't take them as any more than that.

from the performances i've seen, i'd say women are more inclined towards playing more dramatically and passionately (up to the point of too dramatically and passionately ).

i say usually men are more rational and controlled

[pskim]

I've read somewhere that Brahms could tell which gender was playing the piano just by listening to them.  And he was always right.

[m1469]

I think that, should there be any truly discernable differences in one gender's approach to the piano and music over another, it would only be a reflection of the experiences this individual has had in their life as well as the beliefs they may entertain about themselves.

Ultimately, it depends on the individual and on what qualities they possess as an individual (not just as a gender), what qualities they are willing to cultivate and express within themselves, what beliefs they are willing to break free from, and what experiences they may or may not have to draw from.

That's what I think anyway  .

m1469

[Bob]

related thread:

"traditional" roles of men and women
https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5816.0.html