# Herky-Jerkyness



## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

There's rubato, and then there's something else that goes by that name but is so overblown that it can induce motion sickness. A few years ago I heard one of Maazel's concerts with the NYPO that included a Strauss Waltz that was like listening to a taffy-puller. Stokowsky's last recording of the Tchaikovsky Fourth had sections in it that was like riding in a Manhattan cab.

I realize it goes in and out of fashion, but what are some of your more infamous experiences with excess rubato?


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Any performance of Beethoven and Brahms conducted by Furtwängler. Always a roller coaster of tempo manipulation.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Comparison of Enya's piano scores with recordings of her performing the pieces indicates that she is the world champion of rubato.


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## MoonlightSonata (Mar 29, 2014)

I'm more irritated by excessive vibrato, personally. I hate it when singers sound like they're gargling glass when they sing.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

MoonlightSonata said:


> I'm more irritated by excessive vibrato, personally. I hate it when singers sound like they're gargling glass when they sing.


What I want to hear is gargling glass done with a lot of rubato -- the herky-jerky sort of rubato. Ah! Now _that's_ music! (It's probably also an "industrial" piece that was already done by Merzbow or Einstürzende Neubauten.)


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

The tempo is _all over the place_ in te original recoring of Beethoven's 5th. The sound quality helps this however. 

And yes, I get more concerned with vibrato than rubato as well. Vibrato on every note (especially when the speed and intensity remains unchanged) can sound a _very_ sickening and takes away from the beauty of the effect that vibrato can have.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

MoonlightSonata said:


> I'm more irritated by excessive vibrato, personally. I hate it when singers sound like they're gargling glass when they sing.


Apparently we can't like posts anymore, so I'll make a statement of agreement. Classical singers often sound completely off key to me when they employ too much rubato.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

brianvds said:


> Apparently we can't like posts anymore ...


Just when I was starting to like this Forum, I can no longer like. Like, what is that all about? Like, does anybody know?


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Likes will come back, we are told. 

I do not like rubato unless it is very subtle. Same for vibrato in solo strings and voices. However I think some music needs it. The (ostensibly) simpler the music, the more rubato helps it become more expressive.. Mozart and Satie would be intolerable without it. Chopin, I think, could benefit form less of it.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

A day or two ago, I was pleased to see that I have a notification for about 1345 likes. I wondered what made me so popular so suddenly. But then it turned out there were actually none. So I would guess there was a bit of a glitch in the software.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Actually, I hear much more often records or performances that have way too little rubato / vibrato. I agree that they can be taken to excesses, but the reverse seems to be more true actually. Neon colours can be nauseating but it seems that what we have is a giant sea of gray.


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## LarryShone (Aug 29, 2014)

MoonlightSonata said:


> I'm more irritated by excessive vibrato, personally. I hate it when singers sound like they're gargling glass when they sing.


Im with you there!


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