A ‘field crowded with prodigies’? Name them
NewsThe New York Times, whose arts pages resemble an offshoot of PR Week, has published a soft piece on the Spanish violinist Maria Duenas. No harm in that. But the headline reads: ‘A 21-Year-Old Violinist Emerges From a Field Crowded With Prodigies’.
Really? Who are they?
Most violin experts we know say the field has never been lower in top-flight talent. Competition winners have disappointed because many competitions are rigged. Violin professors groom kids to win short-term, not to shine long-term.
No US-born violinist has joined the front rank of soloists since Hilary Hahn, and she’s in her mid-40s.
Where are the crowds of prodigies?
Clue: Not in the NY Times broken viewfinder.
So Randall Goosby isn’t worth your consideration??? Interesting!!! Looking at his forthcoming concerts he is certainly having a top flight career. There are plenty of other violinists under 40 who are worth hearing. At the top of the pack I’d put Augustin Haedlich (ok, he recently turned 40) and Alena Baeva. Both fantastic players, though neither are still prodigies, but they have only really fully established themselves in the last 5 years or so. But perhaps the point they are making is that Maria Duenas has risen above the crowd of prodigies who fill the competition shortlists, go on to win some and then disappear from sight. There are plenty of prodigies who can play just about anything but don’t go on to make a big career. Duenas seems to be succeeding where so many have failed….
Goosby is excellent. Ray Chen, now in his 30s, has carved out an impressive career for himself. As for others in their teens or 20s, Norman has somewhat of a point.
Duenas has been very press shy so I was intrigued to read the piece, though found it kind of dull in the end.
Someone who checks diversity boxes with a “top flight career” with “forthcoming concerts” doesn’t equate to prodigy
How are these racially offensive comments allowed to stand here on this site? It’s disgusting and inexcusable. Please remove this.
“Prodigies” don’t need to be “top flight talent” to still be “prodigies”, just as “top flight talent” doesn’t need to be “another Izhak Perlman” to still be “top flight talent”, just as “Perlman” doesn’t need to be “Heifetz” to still be “Perlman” etc etc…
That is to say, one can keep slicing “prodigies” into finer and finer hierarchical slices, but the bottom pile of prodigies are still prodigies.
The NYT is making a very modest claim, that among prodigy violinists today, Duena stands out, even if none of them is “a Heifetz”.
I agree with Chet — the fact that the field is crowded with prodigies whom we cannot name is exactly the point about prodigies. It’s sink or swim and we only start to pay attention when they reach the swim phase.
I would argue that the ‘swim phase’ is reflective of the entire field being a big trouble, not that there is any leveling off of the number of prodigies out there who are worthy of a career.
Are there other reasons they get concerts? Hardly any of them are Asian women, in a field crowded with amazing Asian women violinists. It’s not sink or swim. Soloists are sold for their novelty value.
If she is really that good she is a welcome addition to what, as you note, is a field not as crowded as they claim.
I would posit Nicola Benedetti as the last really major violin star to emerge — she is seven years younger than Hahn. (Not sure why your reference was only to American-born stars). Most of the rest of the violinists one goes out specifically to see are Hahn’s age and older, young as people like Ehnes and Bell and Chang and Jackiw and Suwanai might look. Vengerov looks his age, despite being younger than the boyish Bell and the ageless Suwanai.
Let’s hope some of these competition winners are as good as they were cracked up to be. Perlman can’t last forever, and it would be good to see some of those behind him grow into something resembling the greatness he has graced us with for so long.
Sorry but …if you seriously count Benedetti as “a real major violin star”, it is the best proof that you have tomates in your ears..! (or, that you do not know what to listen for when it comes to sound production on the violin)
Duenas seems sweet and lovely but is no better than the others really – heard her live don’t get the hype.
I’m sorry for you, that you obviously do not understand (can hear) the difference between Dueñas and for example Bell, Suwanai and Goosby..
She’s just pretty. Strikes me as seriously boring though.
It’s never been higher. Lots of players now that skilled across musical styles – classical, jazz, fiddle, etc.
Yes,yes yes well put…and don’t forget Jazz,nor the Hungarian Schmalz Violinists and the sainted N.Kennedy…not necessarily in that order.
Guido Sant’Anna…
Anybody who watches Youtube for concerts disagrees with the article. There is no absence of new talent from Asian ancestry performers. For example, Ray Chen plays and presents magnificently. Does Mr. Lebrecht also think that there is an absence of prodigy pianists? I recently watched and listened to Kevin Chen and was knocked speechless. Why no new promising violinists but plenty of pianists?
I came to the comments to mention Randall Goosby, but see I’m not the first. Yes, he “ticks the diversity boxes,” but if you’ve ever seen him on stage you’d likely agree he’s got real talent and star power. I’ve felt that since I saw him win the Sphinx Junior Competition back in the 2000’s, and confirmed it when he was at Aspen a couple years ago.
It’s unbelievable that Norma n would dispute such a modest claim. Anyone who can play paganini caprices or do a romantic concerto with orchestra before the age of 10 is a prodigy according to common sense, and they are a dime a dozen on youtube. Setting the standard slightly higher, anyone who manages one round in Menuhin competition is 100x more talented to than the average musician. NYT wrote the perfect intro for Duenas.
Oh, the top music schools in the country are loaded with them. It’s just that you are not hearing of them because there are dwindling career paths available for them. Many of those who easily could have pursued careers as soloists 10 to 20 years ago are now sitting in sections of major orchestras as well. It is a much more consistent and predictable career path in many ways.
Check out Elli Choi….just saying.
There are some interesting violinists coming up the pike. I’m currently co-sponsoring a young Taiwanese violinist named Will Yeh. He’s 15, studies in the Juilliard prep program and just made his London debut. He is also a return favorite in Aspen for three summers and Juilliard brings him out for nearly every fund raising dinner. His resume is already loaded with first place prizes won. Several important older violinists like Augustin Handelich and Serina Huang are fans of his. I suspect he will be a regular before the footlights before long. Have a listen to his rendition of the Wieniawski Fantasia Brilliante on themes from Faust with the London City Orchestra earlier this year. I include his Youtube link. https://www.youtube.com/@WilliamYehViolinist?app=desktop
Well, there are many good violinsts, also quite a number of very good ones. And Duenas, the absolute best by far of the young generation.
It is curious that there are now so many first class pianists and so few really good violinists. Much of the blame lies with roguish and stultified ‘leading’ teachers, many of whom can barely read music.
Thirteen year old Himari!
She is making her Philadelphia Orchestra debut on New Year’s Eve and will debut with the Berlin Philharmonic and the Suisse Romande in 2025. She is truly an astounding violin talent (student of Ida Kavafian at Curtis). Fritz Kreisler once said, “a violinist like Heifetz comes along once every one hundred years; a violinist like Josef Hassid comes along once every two hundred years.” In my humble opinion, and I do know something about violin playing, Himari falls into the latter category. As Riccardo Muti said after he heard her play two years ago, “how is this possible.”
Are you Curtis’ professor?
No, I’m the authentic Robert Levin 🙂
Do you know HIMARI? In school?
Sarah Chang, US-born prodigy violinist, younger than Hilary Hahn.
Chang’s career has been much more versatile: for example, her commitment to chamber music.
Would she be better known if she had simultaneously played Paganini and hula-hooped? Maybe.
Listen to Sarah Chang Age 5 on YouTube. She is the most recent US-born violin prodigy.
And what about Arabella Steinbacher – who is younger than Hillary Hahn?
I regulary attend ‘student’ recitals at a world-class conservatory nearby, and I can assure you there are more prodigious talents every year. Such talents have to be heard to be recognized, however, and it is WE, the dwindling audience, who are failing Them. There are not fewer prodigies, but rather there are fewer ears willing to listen to them. In a world of religious wars and social division for profit, we must not ignore those who try to bring us relief through art.
I agree. The classical music biz goes crazy whenever a shiny attractive new young “prodigy” comes along. Pianists are the worst. But basically any discipline will do: guitar, cello, harpsichord, recorder. The pianists especially are usually forgotten after a few years. I even question the ones who are really pushed hard and hailed as greats. Yuja Wang has incredible technique. But I heard her play the Hammerklavier and it was truly awful. Utterly soulless and with no structure. I have heard better MP3 versions. But if you want Flight of Bumblebee played at speed of sound she can deliver. And I like her personality. I hope she can mature and get some depth in the best music. But I am not sure what she is after. As for Lang Lang, he seems to be after superstardom, which he has. But I have heard nothing in serious music that impresses me. But back to fiddlers, I don’t know any recent greats. People like to slag him off. But Kennedy had massive talent and got bored with the whole classical business. He was and is in my view underrated. There are many who are praised above him and in my view don’t come close. His Four Seasons might be sniffed at now but I think it was the biggest selling classical recording of all time? Hopefully time will produce some great new violin prodigies. But we are in an age when prodigies are ruined from the start, ruined by too much praise too early and by star treatment, which more often than not turns their heads and/or turns them off a life dedicated to classical music. Why do that boring stuff when you can be a TV star and hobnob with royalty or those on power, and be idolised by the mob?
Ref my last comment about MP3 Hammerklavier, I have just listened to “Claudio Colombo’s” Hamerklavier, who I am convinced does not actually exist. He is either a super advanced midi programme or a computer enhanced “real” pianist. Anyway I have to take back what I said. Wang was better in Hammerklavier. At least in the Adagio. But Listen to “his” Moonlight Presto Agitato. “He” gives Wang a run for her money. Ditto in Prokofiev Op 11.
Johan Dalene: fine musician.
Some violin orchestra jobs pay very well nowadays. They have job security, and do not have the endless travelling.
when Duenas plays one hears the music anew because she recreates the phrasing in a very convincing way
Maria Loudenitch Randall Goosby Inmo Yang Bomsori Kim Dami Kim Soobeen Lee Guido SantAnna Kevin Zhu Michael Shaham Vilde Frang Stella Chen Timothy Chooi Benjamin Beilman to name a few…
Good list….and finally someone mentions Bomsori Kim!
There are many prodigies in the world, but HIMARI is a true genius.