Tafelmusik in rehearsal for Beethoven Symphonies concerts

[tafelmusik1979]

@firebreathone2 thank you for your comment.

@Invisus944 I can see you are very passionate about your opinion. Thank you for sharing, but I have to point out that Tafelmusik is not a "mediocre" ensemble. It's an award winning, world renowned Orchestra that is in demand around the world and has recorded over 75 CDs. Our mandate not only includes performing historically informed concerts, but to also teach others about Baroque music.

[firebreathone2]

I completely disagree with invisus. The entire point of scholarly and scientifically informed musical practice is to try to play the music as it was played back in the composer's day.

[Invisus944]

And who the hell would want to imitate performances from Beethoven's time? At the premiere of the 9th symphony half the string section dropped out during the 1st and 2nd movements because the music was too difficult! It wasn't until Habeneck conducted a performance in England lasting 100 minutes that an error-free performance could be achieved! The level of the ensembles was THAT shitty. Maybe some string players should drop out of the 2nd movement of the 7th to replicate an early performance!

[Invisus944]

Ever since Norrington released his first Beethoven cycle it's like everyone wants to record Beethoven in the exact same way he did. To make it worse that recordings themselves standardize the reaction of the listener... Beethoven wanted his music to be experienced, not to be put on display as a remnant of the past. Yes, in fact, playing his music on old instruments makes it old. It was new for a while because it wasn't done before in the recorded era, but now it's old.

[Invisus944]

"Pretend you are hearing this music for the first time"... what a cheap trick. This fad is over 30 years old, and it's getting boring. The classical recording industry suffers from a disease of this duplication. The idea is no longer original; you're expecting me to believe that Beethoven's truth lies in a mediocre ensemble based in Toronto? How arrogant can someone be to say that a truth if any is attainable? There's a reason orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic don't buy into this bullshit.

[mingweicello]

i dont agree with the word authentic, nothing is like that. yes, you can say it's the same when beethoven composed, but the same form cannot guranteen the same content and essentials.

[moveXpress]

I work for Tafelmusik. Tafelmusik plays on period instruments in historically informed performances. The work in intensely researched. The INTENTION with the music is to be as authentic as POSSIBLE, as the video explains, we try to find Beethovens truth Please note the difference between historically authentic, and historically informed. These musician are extremely dedicated and talented artists. They do not use authenticity as a moralism, but simply an artistic approach.

[mingweicello]

@moveXpress "They do not use authenticity as a moralism, but simply an artistic approach. " this is the idea what I hope all the period instruments ensemble can apply. Unfortunately, some of them even critizied the masters like furtwangler, karajan and karl bohm being romanticized beethoven. Yes, they definitly choose a different approach, but we cannot say thay are wrong. I believe in what Aurelius said in his Medidation that there is no truth, but perspectives.

[moveXpress]

@mingweicello, it sounds like we're in aggreement then. No one is wrong, it's all art. Also, the reference to "moralism" should actually have been addressed to @themfromspace below.

[themfromspace]

"Authenticity" is battered about by many so-called musicians as a moralism, with anything deviating against the composers sacred word being deemed unquestionably wrong. Beethoven didn't give a damn about what instruments his music was played on and would gladly have accepted instruments more capable of playing his music. This "period" stuff is pseudo-scholarship full of lies and bad research. A real inquiry would discover that orchestral playing only got better until the 50s where it leveled.

[trompetermax]

There are for sure more lies in "modern" performance than in historical informed! We know, that we will never ever be able how to play exactly like it sounded at that time! And one you can be sure about that it is for sure not bad researched! And it is not a question with which instruments you play the works it is much more about phrasing, articulation, non vibrato playing in strings(!).

[MercifulMe]

There is a reason Tafelmusik is one of the world's most prestigious period orchestras, and you are well, you.

[UlimorUdamenta]

Well for me, playing on Period instruments makes it sound and look like it was performed for the first time...

[oberonne]

I don't agree that this symphony is perfomed as Beethoven would have performed it only because you use ancient instruments. Nevertheless is as valid an aproach as others with modern istruments.