Monday, May 26, 2014

I Am Not A Critic But I Know What I Like

I was listening to performance of some work with the great Concertgebouw orchestra the other day - it was on YouTube. I am sure you will agree that the preponderance of listeners on that video channel are poorly-educated and small-minded persons - I am guessing about 98 percent or thereabouts. Then again, you might not agree with me about that but it matters not - not to me, anyway. I know whereof I speak and I cannot change my opinion about that. Now and again, one comes across a really intelligent comment, but those are few and far between, as the cliche goes. I am digressing. Sorry. My post is about my experience with the Concertgebouw post on YouTube. That particular performance was superb, as I expected. However, toward the end, a scramble in the strings (which probably lasted no more than three seconds but which my ear caught instantly) marred the ending just a trifle. I made a comment to that effect. Almost immediately, some person who obviously has little musical education, no ear training whatsoever, and poor manners attacked me for pointing that little fault out. Another moron jumped in and defended the first ninny. What to do? One cannot engage ignorant people in a dialogue - it would be like talking to or arguing with a chair. I enjoy pointing out errors when I hear them. Nothing is perfect - not even Heifetz. Hilary Hahn comes close - damn her.