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Classical Guitar performance akin to Jazz performance follows many pathways. And, the difference in performance(s) is the artist's vision of the composer's music. The written notes in a score can only provide a pathway for the performer. The lion's share is a result of the Artist's musical knowledge, sophistication, creativity, command of technique, and raw emotional personality. Here are three Artist's performing Paganini's "Romance" for CG: Artyom Dervoed, Ana Vidovic, and Evangelos Assimakopoulos. Which do you like best and why?
Marinero
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04-03-2022 10:39 AM
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The woman is first
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Not sure i can make a fair comparison. The last video is over reverbed to the point of being distracting.
I think the first performance is quite good, but that little guitar doesn't have the depth or dynamic range of a full bodied classical. But he's able to bring quite a bit out of it.
So therefore, Ana's video was my favorite.
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Thanks, K and B! I'd be interested why you liked your #1 choice from a musician's perspective. Thanks in advance(ie: dynamics, tone, phrasing, interpretation, etc.).
Marinero
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The third recording is done from up close, and has greater presence and tonal range. The playing is fine for both men, but I feel Ms Vidovic gives the finest musical performance. The ebb and flow of the music is expressed more elegantly, with a natural affect that is the result of absolute Misstressey.*
Speilchuk takes issue with my spellin.' [shrugs]
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Re: why I like Vidovic...
I don't know much about classical guitar, but im always impressed by her dynamic range and attention to tone.
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My ears tell me Artyom is using the Hendrix tuning. All 3 are expressing their own viewpoints, all of which are valid.
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In order of preference, 1st one, then 3rd one, then 2nd one.
Vivodic sounded a bit "clinical" to me, a bit too precise... at least compared to the other two.
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So, some very interesting responses and a few surprises. However, the reason I wanted to use Classical musicians in lieu of Jazz is to make the point, irrespective of genre, that we all use our ears to determine what we like which, ultimately, determines how we play. All three musicians play from what I call a personal "core" and all three use the same music to speak personally to us. And, even choices of the score itself reflect how a musician perceives his voice and, in this case, no musician played the score exactly as written by Paganini. So, the responses above are an excellent example of how musicians bring different elements to their playing and how a listener is affected by their performance. However, in our own music, the real issue is how much is organic and how much is parroting another musician's work? And, of the above three, does one stand out as an "original?" And, if so, why?
Marinero
P.S. Thanks for all the great responses. M
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The woman-Ana Vidovic plays very subtly and clearly at the same time.
Originally Posted by Marinero
The excellent articulation and care for the quality of the sound result in music played with great emotional commitment.
...but all 3 players are great!
Ana Vidovic reminds me of A. Segovia's style-playing from the heart.The vibrato technique, which makes this piece even more emotional.
"Romanza" (2nd movement of Grand Sonata) by Niccolo Paganini is a great tune for guitar solo.
Last edited by kris; 04-05-2022 at 04:36 AM.
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None of them. There's nothing uplifting about emotionally indulgent, melodramatic interpretation. Segovia manages to rescue it, but only just. It's not such a great piece of music without the violin.
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Put the violin back in and that's more like it.
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Yeah that first performance to me is too much, I had to look away to endure listening it and even then didn't care for it. Originally Posted by ragman1
I like the others, I'd say the Segovia arrangement is most "original" posted so far.
The first recording I ever heard of this piece was on a compilation called "Spotlight on Guitar", I found the version on youtube:
I like the intimacy of the recording, no reverb, you can hear all the creaks, string sounds and breathing. Probably my fav for nostalgic reasons.
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Frédéric Zigante -a great performer of Paganini's guitar music.
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Hi, R, Originally Posted by ragman1
I have some specific questions based on your previous comments: 1.)Can you provide an example of what you call "melodramatic interpretation" by any of the musicians from the three original videos with exact time references to the passage(s) and why you think they are melodramatic musically? Also, I think there's a wide chasm between "emotionally indulgent" (which categorizes much of Romantic Era Music) and "melodramatic" which is clearly a pejorative term. 2.) What exact passages do you find emotionally indulgent? And, 3.) is the score "emotionally indulgent" or the musician? If so, where? Finally, when comparing the CG version to CG and violin, 4.)Why do you think specifically "it's not such a great piece of music" without the violin? Thanks for your honest reply in advance.
Marinero
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3, 2, 1 in descending order of preference. 3 sounds magisterial and masculine. 2 sounds warm, sweet, lyrical, maternal. 1 sounds a little ponderous due in part to trying to squeeze sound out of a small guitar in a big venue.
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Here's a great video by Pavel Steidl concerning the interpretation of 19th Century Music that aptly applies to this discussion and several comments by posters.
Marinero
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Though I love Ana very much.. I think Paganini would have liked the first one simply because of the prowess he shows with the extremely high range interpretation, the velocity of it perfectly rendered, and maybe the the most violin-like of the 3 that NPag would be awed by...
But really there's no true way to pick the best as they are all beautifully done.... The Greek gentleman has always inspired me as well...
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