> Currently you can see Pierre Hantai performing.
Thanks Chris. You have given me a good opportunity for a rant.
There are many things of Hantai's playing I really like, a few I dislike,
and there is no denying that he is a great harpsichordist.
But this post is about something else.
Famous players in some areas seem to "come in waves".
Before WWII it looked as if the only harpsichordist worldwide was Wanda
Landowska (there were many others, some students of her, others not, many as
good or better but were seldom heard of). In the 1960's when Leonhardt
ushered in some new approaches, for many years it looked as if he was the
only good harpsichordist worldwide, in the 1970's it was Scott Ross, quite
recently Mahan Esfahani, now it is Hantai everywhere, shortly to be
forgotten and replaced by who knows ...
Again, these have been, and are, great masters certainly, but there is a
worrying tendency here. I find that more opportunities (to show and to earn)
should be given to the many other players, in many countries all around the
world, both young and old, that are IMNSHO similarly good, but are rarely
allowed to convey their artistry to significant audiences.
Yes, I know, this problem is by no means restricted to the harpsichord.
When I was a young man studying in London, about half the top organ recitals
were by Lionel Rogg and Daniel Chorzempa. I was impressed at how good they
were, until I realised it was mostly them again and again, while there were
many other similarly good players who were largely out of sight.
Yes, I know again(!), this problem has nothing to do with music recitals, is
a general problem of our society and culture and has even been described in
at least one book I know of by a respected sociologist: a few performers
(typically but not only virtuoso players, cinema actors, TV presenters) "get
there", are "deemed best" by "the ones who decide", are coached and
propelled to fame, ultimately adored by the great public (who is rarely
given the opportunity to hear competitors), and go on monopolising their
arena, sometimes for years on end.
This is perhaps why the great international competitions are so important,
as they put us in contact with new talents.
Best
CDV
http://harps.braybaroque.ie/
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