Interpretation of familiar works

[Ferretfancy]

I would like to quote some comments in a recent Fanfare review of Jurowski's recording of The Planets. It's by Lynn Rene Bayley.

"In general, I believe that most modern music-- neither has nor lends itself to a performance tradition because most of it is heavily notated and because, in many instances we have recordings of these works either by the composers themselves or by performers who rehearsed the works under the composer's supervision. -- A few niceties of phrasing and orchestral detail separate the various recorded performances of these works--but by and large a wide variation in tempo or phrasing is neither appreciated or saleable."

Ms Bayley goes on to say that in her opinion the multiple versions of the same pieces have served to kill off interest in classical music.She enjoys Jurowski's Planets, but seems to question whether another recording was necessary.

Is this just the jaded reviewer faced with another familiar work, or might it be true that if the instructions in the score are followed meticulously one performance is much like another?
To be fair, she confines her opinion to 20th century compositions. For my part I think that there are very real differences in performances that I possess, in Ravel, say, or Bartok, which transcend mere accuracy. What do others think?

[Bryn]

I tend to think of a composer's score as basically a recipe. The same cook will get somewhat different results each time (s)he works from a given recipe. Two different cooks will produce results even more varied in their outcomes. It's much the same when working with notated music.

[MrGongGong]

I tend to think of a composer's score as basically a recipe. The same cook will get somewhat differnent results each time (s)he works from a given recipe. Two different cooks will produce results even more varied in their outcomes. It's much the same when working with notated music.

humm not always

I wouldn't try that with Fernyhough. I think notated music varies enormously in the way in which it specifies sound events and also in its "fragility" (some pieces are destroyed by clumsy or over "enthusiastic interpretation")

[rauschwerk]

I think Ms Bayley is right as far as "most modern music" goes. However, an important factor which is not notated is sonority, which to my mind becomes more important the more performers there are. Sakari Oramo has said that when he conducts Elgar outside these shores, he has to spend time getting the orchestra to make the right sound - a sound he could take for granted from the CBSO.

As for The Planets, I agree with Ms Bayley - it seems to be the kind of music that works if you 'do what it says on the tin' and take the composer's own recording seriously (as Solti, for example, did in his recording). Bartok's scores are meticulously notated: even so, I would imagine that familiarity with Eastern European folk music is essential to really satisfying interpretations.

[Mr Pee]

I think notated music varies enormously in the way in which it specifies sound events and also in its "fragility" (some pieces are destroyed by clumsy or over "enthusiastic interpretation")

I heard the most appalling interpretation of 4'33 the other day. There was no sense of line or structure, and an apparent wilful disregard for the composer's metronome marks, so that the piece actually lasted 4'29!!

If I say that it was also performed with a complete absence of vibrato, then you can probably guess who was responsible.....

[Bryn]

you can probably guess who was responsible.....

Indeed, it was clearly your own.

[LeMartinPecheur]

IIRC Saturday's BaL on Prokofiev 6 made a point of saying that all the performances under consideration were very different in pacing. Yet the reviewer quoted plenty of detailed markings from the score, but even so didn't seem himself to have any very clear template in his head of how the work 'ought' to go.

It all added up to there being - as yet - no real performance tradition for this work. If so, it seems to be a challenge to the 'rule' for modern works proposed in this thread.

So is there something about Prokofiev's score(s?) that explains this? Lack of precise metronome markings perhaps?