Classical musicians, have you detected a shift within the last decade or two regarding expression of emotion?

Question

As a pianist, when I was in my "glory days" (the 90s), playing European cities and doing the bigger international competitions for teens, my attitude was to let authentic emotion show, howver it came out. This is different, of course, from Inauthentic "showiness" done only for effect. The judges mostly ignored my display of emotion, sometimes commented positively,
and only one or two out of dozens made slightly negative comments. Now, after I recently did a recital fundraiser, the first thing out of at least three mouths was a criticism of "distracting movement, pretentious emotionalism." I was especially annoyed, by the comments because this was the first time I played the Liszt-Wagner Tannhauser Overture as a finale, and I associate that piece with my grandmother's death, as I first heard Tannhauser a month before she died. It seems to me that audiences, many of them non-musicians, are becoming more snooty than fellow classical musicians in judging performances. Wow.

Thank you for your words, silken - very much appreciated, and I shall follow your advice as well. I like it when I get such a well thought out and sincere response. All my best.

I LOVE that Sibelius quote, Fredrick.

As I say Malcolm, I personally let the body move if it is a result of the music and my authentic temperament telling it to. Same thing with facial expression. I am not into histrionics for the sake of histrionics. You have a point there. HOWEVER, I am also not one to say that this style necessarily comes with poorer interpretive prowess. Yundi Li was a gold medalist at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw, and some people accuse(d) him of theatricality for its own sake. I GUARANTEE you, the jury in Warsaw would not a give a gold medal to a performer who lacked the proper interpretive skills/talent.

Thanks you for your words, Ryko and toutvas. I am really getting some nice, thoughtful responses here. BTW, just for the record, I have not thumbed down anyone.

glinzek, I agree 100% with your last paragraph. My expressions, movements, stc. are NEVER contrived. Let me comment as well to the posters below you that I WILL NOT suppress a smile here or a frown there if this is where the music takes me. This is an authentic being-for-itself consciousness sublimating emotion in a way. I very much am in tune with Schopenhauer's aesthetics. If my authentic mvt. ot facial expression bother a listener, I believe that is the listener's own emotional luggage is getting in the way of the listener's enjoyment of my performance. I am actually a VERY conservative Chopin performer for instance, and if what some may refer to in a negative manner as "emoting" gets in the way, that is the listener's problem.....I share my music, and I have no intention of forcing MY EMOTIONS on others, but why in the heck should that mean I have to suppress my emotions? I repeat, my movements are NEVER contrives/inauthentic, or theatre for theatre's effect,

The bottom of the above comment is meant for Steve, not Chessmaster. I haven't posted anything on Youtube yet......I hope to soon though.....Steve, I also stand by MY candor and statement.

Answer 1

Well, I don't know -- I blow hot and cold on this issue.

I observed Horowitz in concert two times, and have watched many videos. What strikes me with him is that he achieved those incredible and exciting effects while sitting stock still at the keyboard. It is electrifying.

I have observed Van Cliburn in concert, and he sways and shakes his head etc., and his performances do absolutely nothing for me.

I personally prefer to conserve ALL of my energy and focus ALL of my attention on the making of music -- I do not understand how you can do that while making extraneous movements at the keyboard -- not only distracting to the audience, but to the performer. How can one have the endurance to last through a Liszt tour de force when energy is being expended doing other things??

I had a pianist friend in college who was a phenomenal technician. He performed a Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody, and as the final chords crashed he stood up and sent the bench flying backwards. I was amused -- but then I peeked in on him practicing one day, and he was practicing THAT MOVE -- over and over -- trying to get just the right level of spontenaiety. My impression was "What a huge waste of time".

If you're going to express emotion, do it within the context of the music. That will convince me. The other stuff just will not ring true.

Answer 2

I believe that there is a fine line between true and honest emotion in a performance (whether it be musical or theatrical) and 'emoting'. Truthfully, your emotions about certain pieces are completely immaterial to the listener, or for that matter, the judges. It is easy to understand another person's indifference or even annoyance at displays of what is perceived by them as 'pretentious emotionalism'.

After all, isn't it a well-accepted and understood principle that all music effects all people differently? Are there really any two people who feel the same passion and emotion of any one piece? I think not. Therefore, it is logical that display of emotion may be perceived by others as phony or distracting.

It seems that you are bothered by critcism from persons you feel not worthy of judging you and that is common human nature. This is an age-old conflict of critic vs. artist and will never change.

Many critics are not musicians and there is a good and bad in that also. It is only fair to have a detached, impartial observer or listener as a critic, because (let's face it) not all listeners are musicians either. The truth of the matter is that neither the critics nor listeners could give a rat's you-know-what about your feelings about Tannhauser or your grandmother. They are listening to the performance of a piece of music and perceiving it in their own ways.

Bascially, I think it is a waste of time and energy to overly display emotions for these exact reasons. Music and the love of each musical creation is a very personal thing that cannot be manipulated or influenced from external stimuli.

Forgive my candor, but I truly believe in what I state above and I live by this in my own performances.

Answer 3

There has been a noticeable increase in the amount of histrionics and exaggerated expression in performances in recent years, especially from some of the rising oriental performers. Strangely this phenomenon has been accompanied by poorer interpretation and odd theatrics. I suppose there is an appropriate level that adds to a performance, in terms of demonstrating a "feel" for the music as opposed to some performers hamming it up in an attempt to display emotional investment in the music.

Afterthought...
I have no problem with showing emotional involvement in the music, however it needs to be genuine not contrived. I've seen Alfred Brendel a couple of times and he always makes faces when playing, although his overall movement is fairly limited. It seems as though he is not conscious of the grimaces and head shakes, rather he appears to be deeply involved in the music.

Answer 4

I always found that the "extraneous" movement of a classical performance to be more entertaining to the non musician ... the comment you received usually comes from people who are afraid to be moved by music or anything else ... there will always be people who prefer the mechanical over the emotional don't let it bother you nor effect your performances ... they are after all YOUR performances

Answer 5

wow indeed, I'm no musician but I like the music and its nice to watch someone play who's really into the music & is transported by it rather than someone who is simply playing to the crowd because that just changes the lvl of playing for me personally it helps to, I dunno, trigger a similar feeling in me. Its always easier & faster for me to get caught up in the music that way I feel more relaxed and not like a person in a crowd but someone who has had the opportunity to see something beautiful.


My advise to you is to ignore those ppl who think they know so much, keep on playing from the heart and anyone who truly appreciates the music will see your performance for what it is, so much more :)

Answer 6

I've noticed that every ten years or so that judges and people in general tend to to change, I think it has to do with the times, one thing that I look for in a piece of music is emotion, can you imagine Barbers Adagio without emotion.!!!!!! Have you played anything on youtube, I would love to hear you play ?

Answer 7

it is always interesting to speculate as to whether such criticism would have arisen if the reviewer were hear a recording instead of watching the performance live.

That gets to the point that the "distraction" was in the mind of the reviewer and may or may not have been "real."

I think it is important to keep Sibelius' words in mind. "No one every built a statue to a critic."

Answer 8

You MUST be shrooming! Ugh how annoying!!! Classical music comes from the heart and when you play it all out they merely SNOOT?! Spooting spoots! >.< Forget them, you pwn regardless of how much "flashy antics" you use. You play with a bit of your soul, as you should and for that you have my utter admiration. (I play piano aswell...and I use soul EVERY time I play :D I loves mah PIANO)
-Ryko