Vocalist.org archive


From:  Dre de Man <dredeman@y...>
Date:  Thu Jun 15, 2000  10:41 pm
Subject:  fortepiano vs. modern grand


Dear Jana and list,

--- jjh <jjh@n...> wrote:
(apart from many wise words on training and Lieder)
> snip (...) the fortepiano was not constructed with
a cast iron > frame and could not attain
> the extreme ranges of volume we are used to in this
> day and age. So singing
> "Gretchen am Spinnrade" or "Erlkönig" with a
> fortepiano would mean that the
> singer would not have to compete with a pounding
> modern grand piano.

This is a point I really don't understand: I know
there are pianists that for whatever reason play too
loud, but do so many singers have to work with that
kind of pianists? I don't want to show of because it
is not my merit, but the pianist I work with never
does that, it is as if we are in a recording studio
and somebody adjust the volume so that we are always
in a perfect dynamic relation. The pianists I heard
accompanying famous singers like Barbara Bonney do the
same.

Bonney - and Hampson on that accasion - were
accompanied by Wolfram Rieger. This guy not only
played great, but he was also smiling during the whole
concert! He must have been very happy just to make
music with them, a feeling I know very well from
singing accompanied by my pianist, or in a duet.

Is it so difficult to play soft, are most pianists
such egotists, do they lack the right training, or
should they just try to smile and enjoy?

Best greetings,
Dre

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