I have a suggestion: I see conductors who gesticulate far in advance of the music, and other conductors who do it right on the beat that they are conducting. I understand that all this gets worked out in the rehearsal, but can you talk about this?
Can't get enough of this conducting content! As far as i know, you're the only youtube channel that makes this type of content. Thank you so much Anna, super interesting analysis.
As a young orchestra's musician (violinist) this kind of videos are really great to get deeper understanding of different pieces and conductint gesture. Thank you for them.
So great to hear this comparison....especially the emotion Jansons portrayed when he was younger, in contrast to what his face and gestures show as an older (wiser about the human condition?) man.
I'm always happy to see you've uploaded a new video here. You have wonderful content! I did a similar search and found 4 different interpretations of Beethoven's 9th by the great Herbert Von Karajan and the difference between each is truly amazing (yes, that search was inspired by your first video of differences between conductors)
For a while, I was comparing Vladimir Ashkenazy to himself at different ages...both his piano performances and his conducting interpretations...and I found it really fascinating. I love how he allows himself to evolve as a musician, and how life changes how he hears and performs and conducts the music. It's how I experience music as well. As I have gotten older, my relationship with death has changed, and I can see it in how I both experience and perform music. I love the older Jansons' interpretation of this movement because I can see that his relationship with death has changed as well. For him, he is noticing that he is slowing down and life is speeding up around him, comparatively...it keeps marching on even as he is slowing down and approaching the end of life. That increase in tempo, and the consistency of that tempo really demonstrates that to me, as opposed to how he viewed this in his younger years...that death was to be met with grandiosity and triumph. Huge differences in a philosophical approach. Ashkenazy does things similar to that, particularly when it comes to how he plays the piano in later years. Tempo changes, instrumental changes (such as his orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition), how he brings out hidden lines or drives the harmonic progression changes as he ages, and it's a beautiful thing. Thank you for sharing your observations...I greatly enjoy them as well. :)
Thank you very much for this! Perhaps in a conductor's mind there are many "angles" to realize a score and it merely takes a lifetime to have the opportunity to express them.
Absolutely NOT "too nerdy". Fascinating. A question: do orchestras have collective "personalities" that significantly affect conductors, and hence potentially alter conductors' approaches to pieces of music? So if, e.g., a conductor arrives to conduct an orchestra in one city and then goes to a different city, what sort of differences are discernible between the performances (if any)?
I think it’s the conductor who decides. Of course he/she would consider the character of the orchestra in choosing a piece to play with them. If the orchestra has its own mind then it won’t be a successful outcome.
The different approach has to be 100% with that Maestro intentions at that time, or it’s also depend on the musicians you have to work at that time. Or in other works, how much change your desicion making on the piece because the quality (or quantity) of the orchesta you have available?
I'm musically ignorant, but a little less ignorant after watching this video. Thank you. I have a question, which is about the size of the orchestra. I have followed baroque HIP groups (because that's what's good where I am), with quite small forces, and typically I think there tempos are a bit faster, and the textures clearer. It would seem to me that with a small group of players (and especially in a small room) you would go faster with anything--compare a Brandeburg concerto von Karajan/Berlin with practically any modern HIP group. Any difference in orchestra size between the various Jansons?
Very interesting comment, thank you! From what I can see these orchestras are similar in size and in type, and they are definitely not HIP. Typically HIP tends to stick to the metronome markings written and also rely a lot on reading documentation, letters etc of the time to reach their conclusions. Other elements of their playing can contribute to things you mention such as clearer textures, for example the fact that they use almost no vibrato for the string playing.
Beethoven's metronome being broken sounds really weird to me. He knew other people, he had visitors, none of them noticed the metronome is broken? Also what about the players? They didn't see the contradiction between the written time signature and the actual conducting? By the way which country are you from?
Since the metronome was invented around the time of Beethoven that's one of the reasons why that theory believes that it wasn't accurate, but the trend right now is more towards taking the markings at face value and giving that a go. (I am Argentinian :)
Those tempos should be given two metronome ticks to the marked beat. Not just Beethoven. Entire cast of composers used metronome like this (e.g. Cherny). Solves pretty much every piano sonata, and makes sense... I tried. It can be quite slow. But that seems what the author had in mind.
I guess you use an AI voiceover for these, one that doesn't know how to talk about dollar amounts of money the way humans do. You might want to address that as money comes up a lot in crime.
Thank you so much for showing so clearly this interesting analysis. Have a Nice Christmas
PLEASE, please please please, do more of these more nerdy analyses, they are very interesting and fun!
Thank you, that's great to hear!
I have a suggestion: I see conductors who gesticulate far in advance of the music, and other conductors who do it right on the beat that they are conducting. I understand that all this gets worked out in the rehearsal, but can you talk about this?
Can't get enough of this conducting content! As far as i know, you're the only youtube channel that makes this type of content. Thank you so much Anna, super interesting analysis.
Thank you for watching and always supporting the channel :)
A hugely interesting analysis, thank you so much!
thanks for watching!
As a young orchestra's musician (violinist) this kind of videos are really great to get deeper understanding of different pieces and conductint gesture. Thank you for them.
that's great to hear, glad they are useful and thanks for watching
So great to hear this comparison....especially the emotion Jansons portrayed when he was younger, in contrast to what his face and gestures show as an older (wiser about the human condition?) man.
I'm always happy to see you've uploaded a new video here. You have wonderful content! I did a similar search and found 4 different interpretations of Beethoven's 9th by the great Herbert Von Karajan and the difference between each is truly amazing (yes, that search was inspired by your first video of differences between conductors)
Thank you! I'm happy to hear that video inspired you to do that research ;)
@@mauryq2150 I disagree! the early interpretations from the 60s compared to those in the 80s are clearly different
@@jeaneltawil only in the terms of sound
For a while, I was comparing Vladimir Ashkenazy to himself at different ages...both his piano performances and his conducting interpretations...and I found it really fascinating. I love how he allows himself to evolve as a musician, and how life changes how he hears and performs and conducts the music. It's how I experience music as well. As I have gotten older, my relationship with death has changed, and I can see it in how I both experience and perform music. I love the older Jansons' interpretation of this movement because I can see that his relationship with death has changed as well. For him, he is noticing that he is slowing down and life is speeding up around him, comparatively...it keeps marching on even as he is slowing down and approaching the end of life. That increase in tempo, and the consistency of that tempo really demonstrates that to me, as opposed to how he viewed this in his younger years...that death was to be met with grandiosity and triumph. Huge differences in a philosophical approach. Ashkenazy does things similar to that, particularly when it comes to how he plays the piano in later years. Tempo changes, instrumental changes (such as his orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition), how he brings out hidden lines or drives the harmonic progression changes as he ages, and it's a beautiful thing. Thank you for sharing your observations...I greatly enjoy them as well. :)
I love your videos. Keep up the good work!
wonderful as always!
Thank you very much for this! Perhaps in a conductor's mind there are many "angles" to realize a score and it merely takes a lifetime to have the opportunity to express them.
Very interesting video, thank you so much!
hi Anna! nice to see a new post
Thank you! I have a few more videos ready to go so hoping to be back for a little while at least :)
Love your videos. Very thoughtful and interesting. Keep it up!
Absolutely NOT "too nerdy". Fascinating.
A question: do orchestras have collective "personalities" that significantly affect conductors, and hence potentially alter conductors' approaches to pieces of music? So if, e.g., a conductor arrives to conduct an orchestra in one city and then goes to a different city, what sort of differences are discernible between the performances (if any)?
I think it’s the conductor who decides. Of course he/she would consider the character of the orchestra in choosing a piece to play with them. If the orchestra has its own mind then it won’t be a successful outcome.
Thank you so much! quite a difference! But how would you conduct the second movement? (the eight note time or as marked 2/4?)
The different approach has to be 100% with that Maestro intentions at that time, or it’s also depend on the musicians you have to work at that time. Or in other works, how much change your desicion making on the piece because the quality (or quantity) of the orchesta you have available?
The answer is yes. The same answer as if you shortened the timeframe of the two performances as a week apart.
I'm musically ignorant, but a little less ignorant after watching this video. Thank you. I have a question, which is about the size of the orchestra. I have followed baroque HIP groups (because that's what's good where I am), with quite small forces, and typically I think there tempos are a bit faster, and the textures clearer. It would seem to me that with a small group of players (and especially in a small room) you would go faster with anything--compare a Brandeburg concerto von Karajan/Berlin with practically any modern HIP group. Any difference in orchestra size between the various Jansons?
Very interesting comment, thank you! From what I can see these orchestras are similar in size and in type, and they are definitely not HIP. Typically HIP tends to stick to the metronome markings written and also rely a lot on reading documentation, letters etc of the time to reach their conclusions. Other elements of their playing can contribute to things you mention such as clearer textures, for example the fact that they use almost no vibrato for the string playing.
2:20 : Why does young Maris Jansons look older than old Maris Jansons 😂
Beethoven's metronome being broken sounds really weird to me. He knew other people, he had visitors, none of them noticed the metronome is broken? Also what about the players? They didn't see the contradiction between the written time signature and the actual conducting? By the way which country are you from?
Since the metronome was invented around the time of Beethoven that's one of the reasons why that theory believes that it wasn't accurate, but the trend right now is more towards taking the markings at face value and giving that a go.
(I am Argentinian :)
I prefer the slower, more stately tempo...
Add into the mix the semi-crackpot hypothesis of the double beat M.M. and the video is now 11 hours long.
What's the alternative? I am yet to see a theory that makes more sense. Many MMs are undeniably ridiculous if read the usual way.
And who are you pray tell?
Those tempos should be given two metronome ticks to the marked beat. Not just Beethoven. Entire cast of composers used metronome like this (e.g. Cherny). Solves pretty much every piano sonata, and makes sense... I tried. It can be quite slow. But that seems what the author had in mind.
Oh look, a musical flat earther from the cult of the half beat.
Older = wiser
I guess you use an AI voiceover for these, one that doesn't know how to talk about dollar amounts of money the way humans do. You might want to address that as money comes up a lot in crime.