# What's Wrong with Perlman?



## webfreak

I've been reading around and it seems that people feel that Itzhak Perlman is past his prime.

What in his current playing make people feel this way? Are there any influential reviews of his playing that people cite often in their current opinion of him?


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## Krummhorn

I saw him in concert in January 2009 and he was absolutely on top of everything ... a stellar performance. Now then, a year has passed, and I haven't heard him in concert since, so I can't vouch for his current prowess. 

I suppose there will come a time for all professional musicians when they reach that pinnacle in their performance style. We would like them to remain immortal, but they are human, too .


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## Chi_townPhilly

Let me preface my response with a couple of observations-

1) I think Perlman is as good a candidate as any for the title "emeritus greatest living violinist."

2) Perlman at less than peak output is _still_ one hell of a musician.

Itzhak Perlman will turn 65 this year. I don't know what age could be considered prototypically optimum for violin performance, but I'm sure the usual answer would be sometime before one's mid-sixties.

I found the following comment re: Perlman in the "Third Ear/Classical Music" Guide. It's written by Joseph Magil, who reviewed string recordings for the old "American Record Guide." It's furnished merely as a sample of opinion such as that cited in the opening post:


> He [i.e.: Perlman] made one great recording after another until the '80s, when his style mellowed and he lost the ability to leave listeners breathless.


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## Taneyev

I agree with Magil. His recordings of the 70s.are just magnificent. Later IMO he enter on decline. Probably his
illnes is weaken his muscles and obstructing his movements.


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## handlebar

I watched him perform a few years back as well as met him backstage and he was certainly not past his prime. Not a bit.

I still consider him among the top 5 of the world's best.

Jim


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## Agatha

He is coming to Vancouver, BC in April. I already got the tickets!!!


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## mcrosbie

I would love to have the privilege to see him in person. I thought he was doing a lot of conducting now. I think he is an amazing person.


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## handlebar

Agatha said:


> He is coming to Vancouver, BC in April. I already got the tickets!!!


Ooooo how delightful!! Try to get back to meet him. He is a very kind man and usually has no problem giving signing autographs or chatting up the fans.

Jim


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## tahnak

Taneyev said:


> I agree with Magil. His recordings of the 70s.are just magnificent. Later IMO he enter on decline. Probably his
> illnes is weaken his muscles and obstructing his movements.


This is very much probably the reason and he is suffering with hypo thyroidism. It really bites into the muscles of the back and the legs and I am sure it is impairing his skills. Whatever the case may be, he has contributed to the music in its highest echelons and God is pleased with him.


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## violadamore2

He had rotator cuff surgery a year or so ago. I don't know if that has affected his playing or not.


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## superhorn

Perlman has also been doing quite a bit of conducting in recent years, and this may have limited some of his practicing time. He recently became conductor of the Westchester Philharmonic new New York City and was closely involved with the Detroit symphony for some time.
I haven't had the chance to hear much of his conducting except for one or two recordings, but from all reports this is not just a vanity enterprise and he appears to be a conductor of genuine ability.


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## Johnny

tahnak said:


> This is very much probably the reason and he is suffering with hypo thyroidism. It really bites into the muscles of the back and the legs and I am sure it is impairing his skills. Whatever the case may be, he has contributed to the music in its highest echelons and God is pleased with him.


Eh. Hypothyroidism shouldn't affect his playing. At least, I don't think it would. If he's hypothyroid he just needs to take thyroid hormone supplements.

Rotator cuff surgery, on the other hand, could affect his playing. Definitely is more reasonable than the thyroid hypothesis.


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## hankz

Perlman is an amazing teacher, and has devoted much time to his school for young people. As you read in other posts, he also has a career in conducting that is developing, and undoubtedly this requires a lot of his time to learn new repertoire.

I have not heard him play the Beethoven concerto for many years. I attended one concert in Colorado several years ago where he played it, and the outcome was way below his usual level.

Other musicians are branching out, too: Pinchas Zuckerman is conducting in Canada; Andras Schiff is conducting the "Camerata Andrea Barta"... and so on.

For more on matters musical, check out my Blog at: http://www.myclassicalnotes.com


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