Another hymn to Richard Taruskin in the NY Times
NewsThe paper has published its second worshipful tribute to the late musicologist, this one by his former disciple and NY Times editor:
The international acclaim that Richard achieved was all merited and wonderful, but for me it does not eclipse some of my favorite memories of him, as a youngish performer in New York. Whenever I hear the viola da gamba solos in the Bach Passions played politely and limply, as they so often are, I yearn to hear Richard, whose gamba playing had the same grit and guts and flair as his writing….
No balancing opinion is offered about Taruskin’s polemical distortions, his reckless fight-picking, his academic bullying and his overweening vanity. (But don’t go looking for balance in the Times.)
The prolific Taruskin really deserves better.
Tim Page’s appreciation in the Washington Post is the best so far.
“A bear of a man,” smoking cigars, “riding herd on the musicological and critical communities,” “a 2,500-word peg into a 1,500-word hole,” objecting to “the viola da gamba solos in the Bach Passions played politely and limply,” “grit and guts and flair,”…
And the Freudianisms continue on, a manly horse’s ass writing about a manly horse’s ass.
I am sure he won’t be meeting Shostakovich, Rosen, or any other decent people where he is now.
Well you all are a fun bunch
New to this page but will do some research into this man…
Actually love it
Recursive Pot Kettle Black — Slipped Disc is too often littered with Norman’s “tacky” take (political, personal, whatever) on music news. Why does he give himself license but criticize Taruskin for the self-same while noting on his passing no less?
As someone in The Village Voice once wrote, “The NY Times, surrogate brain of the bourgeoisie.”
Overrated,pompous,erroneous..But he was very clever in building a niche for himself.