# Casals and The Art of Interpretation



## Viajero (1 mo ago)

It was one of the great books I read over 20 years that deal with performance. Casals provides musical examples to illustrate his ideas/concepts that are easily followed and there's really something for everyone there. I highly recommend it to musicians of all levels. However, the question for the players among us is: where do we draw the line between a faithful performance of a composer and excessive artistic license? What do you think? Do you have some examples from your music listening? Here's three examples of Beethoven's "Pathetique" 2nd movement Adagio Cantabile.
Viajero


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## Luchesi (Mar 15, 2013)

Interesting. I guess we could put into words from music theory what a piece is doing (analysis), and then if the new interpretation violates those words then at least we would have an unbiased reference to go by.


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## Viajero (1 mo ago)

O.K.
I'll be the first to jump into the water. The above guitar transcription can be found on Edson Lopes excellent website and can be downloaded for free. So, my purpose is not to write a doctoral dissertation about the following performances but rather, to make a few comments I hope would be of interest to some viewers. The three performers all bring a different take on this classic piece. 
The first musician, Heike, has been included for purely pejorative reasons since it is obvious to the listener that she has not conquered the technical aspects of the piece which, in turn, disallows any real judgment on her musical sensibilities. Her frequent technical errors, unnecessary pauses, stiff mechanics, poor octave harmonics, and overall weak metallic tone contribute to a very poor performance. Perhaps, after more time/practice, the performance would be different, however, as it stands it is a resolute failure.
The second piece by Matthew is a technically faithful performance. His tone is clear, the mechanics are excellent, and he uses dynamics and rubato well for a well-conceived performance. It is obvious he understands the motion of the piece and certainly brings the piece to life for the listener. He is able to translate this piece very well to the Classical Guitar.
The final rendition by Patrik is, by far, my favorite rendition since he brings together all the elements of musicianship. His playing is sensitive, relaxed, and pianistic. His pacing and rubato are first-rate and his octave harmonics are clear and responsive. What he does better than Matthew is he brings, for me, a more personal performance reflecting more nuance and emotive playing. However, this is not a criticism of Matthew's playing but rather a personal preference for my taste in music. So, there it goes . . . anyone else care to respond?
Viajero


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