[Scott[_6_]]

On Feb 14, 4:39=A0pm, Doug McDonald wrote:
On 2/13/2012 9:50 PM, Scott wrote:





Based on a number of discussions on Two other audio forums in regards
to performance quality in classical music, I decided to post a couple
simple single blind comparisons of the same piece of music on those
forums for the other forum members to rate. Only catch was they
weren't allowed to know who the artists were. In one poll I had eight
versions of a Chopin Etude played by many different pianists from
different eras with different reputations. In the other I simply made
it two selections. I only got two voters in one poll and four in the
other. The one that got four was barely blind since it was in reaction
to the old guard v. the new young talent debate and it was easy to
discern which was the more modern recording and which was the
"historical" one. Naturally all four voted for the historical one. But
anyway. I was quite surprised at the lack of participation. Whenever I
have the opportunity this is something i enjoy doing when auditioning
performances of classical music. This is how musicians audtion now for
orchestras!

I have always been a bit suspicious of classical music fans as a
group. IME they tend to favor popular reputation over real merit.This
just adds another a little more fuel to that fire. I guess it is much
easier to know who your favorite musicians are as long as you "know
who they are."

First, the obligatory two words: Joyce Hatto.

That said, telling a performer blind is almost impossible,
except in rare cases where you recognize the exact
performance. A well-listened person can tell, using
violinists, can tell Elman (who recorded well into the
hi-fi era) from Heifetz or any of a huge number of
modern virtuosi. But can they tell Heifetz from any of those
modern folks ... or the modern ones from each other?

Same for pianists. If you think otherwise, two words:
Joyce Hatto.



The object wasn't to name the performers. The object was to rate the
performances. That is easy to do blind. And folks have started getting
into it. The performances are easy to distinguish from one another.