Better Violinist: Vanessa Mae or Hilary Hahn
Jan 23, 2006 at 9:13 PM Post #31 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by MatsudaMan
Hilary Hahn all the way. It really is a no brainer. Have you ever heard either of them live? Vanessa Mae is a poseur. Hilary Hahn is the real deal.


So Vanessa Mae isn't a virtuoso violinist?
 
Jan 23, 2006 at 9:18 PM Post #32 of 66
Hahn... But with a qualification... I think Hahn is amazing technically but still really needs to evolve musically before I'm willing to give her top billing overall.
 
Jan 24, 2006 at 1:23 AM Post #33 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1
If anyone has any question about this, try listening without looking at any photographs of the violinists!


Isn't this a DBT-free forum?
biggrin.gif


Seriously tho...slightly OT question from someone who's never heard Hahn's playing: how is she compared to Anne-Sophie Mutter? Her Berg/Rihm recording is transcendent.
 
Jan 24, 2006 at 2:02 AM Post #34 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68
Slightly OT question from someone who's never heard Hahn's playing: how is she compared to Anne-Sophie Mutter?


I'm not an expert in classical music, but to me Hahn is a little cold sounding. Anne-Sophie is more expressive and interesting.

I'm not even going there with the little pop-tart VM.
rolleyes.gif
 
Jan 24, 2006 at 3:17 AM Post #35 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68
Isn't this a DBT-free forum?
biggrin.gif


Seriously tho...slightly OT question from someone who's never heard Hahn's playing: how is she compared to Anne-Sophie Mutter? Her Berg/Rihm recording is transcendent.


I must give the edge to Frau Previn, though when Hahn gets a bit older, it will be a tougher call.
 
Jan 24, 2006 at 4:24 AM Post #36 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by clarke68
Isn't this a DBT-free forum?
biggrin.gif


Seriously tho...slightly OT question from someone who's never heard Hahn's playing: how is she compared to Anne-Sophie Mutter? Her Berg/Rihm recording is transcendent.


LOL, good one!

Mutter has now compiled such a large discography that the results are a bit mixed--at present, she has recorded a broader repertory than Hahn.

And I'd agree that the violinist with the greatest vectorial resultant of ability and looks is Sarah Chang!
evil_smiley.gif
 
Jan 25, 2006 at 11:43 AM Post #38 of 66
Perhaps she is not as expressive as others but her technique is impeccable and I really love the bel canto tone of her playing.

Little needs to be said about Ms. Hahn's rendition of Bach but in my rig even her Beethoven receives equal playing time as Perlman/Giulini and Schneiderhan, and already more than Heifetz and Menuhin/Furtwängler.
eek.gif


I'd really like to see her record a few Beethoven sonatas.
 
Jan 25, 2006 at 2:26 PM Post #39 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by CookieFactory
So Vanessa Mae isn't a virtuoso violinist?


What is a virtuouso? Someone who can play notes with ease and facility? By that definition she is a virtuouso. However when it comes to musical sensibility and choices of repetoire Vanessa Mae just isn't in the first rank. That may be the result of not quite having a first rank technique or just the result of her musical taste. Liberace may have been a first rate talent (who knows?), but he never became a pianist of the first rank because of his career choices.
 
Jan 25, 2006 at 2:32 PM Post #40 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by technobarbie
I'm not an expert in classical music, but to me Hahn is a little cold sounding. Anne-Sophie is more expressive and interesting.

I'm not even going there with the little pop-tart VM.
rolleyes.gif



If you have Mutter's new release of Mozart's violin concertos then you can see pictures of a mature pop-tart in a fishtail dress. I don't mean that as a criticism of Mutter but rather of the machine that markets her. Sad to say, nowadays even classical artists are being marketed in the most sexually blatant manner by the record company flacks.

Btw, I didn't care for Mutter's interpretation of the violin concertos because I found them overly romanticized -- my taste runs to Grumiaux, but I do understand that Mutter has a great talent.
 
Jan 25, 2006 at 3:11 PM Post #41 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears
What is a virtuouso? Someone who can play notes with ease and facility? By that definition she is a virtuouso. However when it comes to musical sensibility and choices of repetoire Vanessa Mae just isn't in the first rank. That may be the result of not quite having a first rank technique or just the result of her musical taste. Liberace may have been a first rate talent (who knows?), but he never became a pianist of the first rank because of his career choices.


Hence the thread title and constraints outlined in my first post.
 
Jan 25, 2006 at 8:04 PM Post #44 of 66
Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears
If you have Mutter's new release of Mozart's violin concertos then you can see pictures of a mature pop-tart in a fishtail dress. I don't mean that as a criticism of Mutter but rather of the machine that markets her. Sad to say, nowadays even classical artists are being marketed in the most sexually blatant manner by the record company flacks.


Fishtail dress....hehehehe.

I do have that CD and like the artwork, but don't care for Mutter's facial expressions and poses. More has been written about this CD cover than the actual music itself. These narcissist images can have a backlash, which is sad considering she is an interesting artist.

I also have the Hahn and Zhu violin sonatas. I don't have over twenty-years listening experience, so I'll leave the technical details to the experts. I will say I feel the spirit of Mozart in Hahn's sonatas, where I have to search for it in Mutter's concertos.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top