Pianists who vocalise whilst playing

[theholygideons]

You wouldn't believe it, but Yuja Wang vocalises pretty loud when she plays Brahms. I was sitting 3 rows away from the stage and was caught off-guard by her growling which could be heard beneath the arpeggios and chords of the 1st movement of Brahms 2 and for the entire piece. Yet, it seems that if you were to tell a musician of it, it would enter their subconscious and screw up their performance anyway. What the heck, maybe she read her review a few days prior and was compensating for her lack of effort first time round... Even the cellist was making passionate sounds, yet, timbre-wise, the contrast in sound sounds less than compared to making sounds whilst playing piano.

[pytheamateur]

Some pianists are trained according to a school of thought, where they should sing the piece when the learn it.  She must have been singing along a lot as she practised.  Richard Goode makes noises as well.  Or perhaps we should call these noises?

[themeandvariation]

I must admit, i have had to redo recordings due to my 'vocalizing'… I try …but even so, it comes in unconsciously , although very 'sotto voce' … It is maddening because when i lose myself in the playing, it tends to come up…  Speaking/breathing with the tune 'locks me in' a very physical way -  Especially when subtle shades of rubato are required.  And, i find it difficult to remove completely as i have come to rely on it - and have been doing it for many years. With students, I am realizing, that i may passing on this affectation, as I am much of the time speak/singing the articulation of a phrase, etc, and have them sing it as well - so they can feel it coming from the inside... There is definitely a degree of vocalizing  that comes with the lessons.
(And yes, I would  have preferred it if Gould would have kept his grumblings off the recordings… I think i shall look into inventing a mouth muffler )

[gvans]

My piano four hands partner sings along as we play, never in rehearsal or recording, but only in performance. I doubt she even knows she does it. I find it rather charming.