Tip #8: Avoid acquiring a pretentious European accent

Tip #8: Avoid acquiring a pretentious European accent

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norman lebrecht

April 23, 2016

From the CBC’s guide on how to be a classical musician.

leopold stokowski

Comments

  • Cyril Blair says:

    When playing a Mozart piano concerto, resist the urge to conduct with your free hand unless you actually are the conductor.

  • John Borstlap says:

    The video sums it up quite well. It will certainly stimulate young people to take up classical music as a profession.

    But seriously, is there so much nonsense and snobbery going-on in the field? That may seem so if you take away the music making.

  • Peter says:

    Stupid. 5th grade kind of humor. Can’t they afford at least high school interns anymore at CBS?

  • Cubs Fan says:

    Humorous and light-hearted it may be, but there’s also a lot of truth in it. I am frequently disgusted by orchestra players who show up to rehearsals having never practiced their part, who never attend classical concerts or even listen to recordings and have no idea how the “song” is supposed to go. And counting rests for page after page is so true! And so many conductors are useless in helping. That comment about not mastering the violin because you’re over age 5 is quite correct. Go hear the Late Starters Orchestra.

  • M. Villeger says:

    Norman, rather than obliging in expanding the reach of that drivel, why don’t you publicize how those CBC beacon of culture could not muster more than a 38 second homage to Pierre Boulez, and only through his conducting, not his music on their national network? As for Eri Klas, Kurt Masur? Not a peep!

    • V.Lind says:

      I happen to know who Eri Klas was, having had the distinct pleasure of being in the hall several times when he was at the podium for memorable concerts. But I would bet my last loonie that 99.9% of Canadians have never heard of him, that he visited a very limited part of the country very few times so why should they, and it was hardly national news that he had passed away. Kurt Masur is a slightly other story, but his name would raise very rare recognition her either.

      As for Boulez, not sure that is entirely true. I heard a fair bit of radio news on the subject of his death. More than I expected, in fact. Can’t comment on TV, but I believe he died around the time Bowie did, and there is NO question whose music has had greater impact on the current generation.

      • M. Villeger says:

        As a commentator on this specialized website, you must have been acutely aware that I was targeting CBC Radio 2 classical programs and blog, not the National with Peter Mansbridge!

        • V.Lind says:

          I don’t read CBC2 blogs, but they have a very small news window. For news, you go to CBC1 or television.

          And I can tell you, working as I do with a number of orchestras, the interest level in people I worked with in the death of Boulez was minimal. So one can hardly expect newscasts to be much different. CBC2 does not have dedicated newscasts. Some of the classical hosts may have commented.

          • M.Villeger says:

            I heard the Grade 7 orchestra at Demure-Cotton Junior High felt the same… But others may have liked it. That’s a fact!

  • Mark says:

    Tip #1 for becoming a comedian – BE FUNNY !!
    What a load of juvenile …

  • Pianofortissimo says:

    Avoid conducting Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra in a Superman costume.

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