Pianist Robert Levin speaks about Improvisation

[lourak]

Everything he says makes sense - until you ask him WHY? Why is it better, the way you say it should be? Why is "fragility" and improvisation better than a subordination to tradition and normative practice? Why???

[PeterInglisGuitar]

Articulate and pointed, these comments identify some of the negative tendencies in classical music recording, production and definitely in music marketing. Hopefully the growth of independently resourced music production will see more risk taking in these areas. Thanks for posting this.

[johnyprestige]

wonderfully articulate speech

[completemusician]

I completely agree. Mass production of music has restricted most musical ideas to what you can "copy and paste". Thankfully, improvised performances add incentive for audiences to go to a concert or local music venue. Hopefully, audiences won't get TOO attached to your recording (when you improvise). Live recordings of improvised performances are also popular - that's one good solution. (See Diana Krall's "Live in Paris" for example.)

[JazzLoverKhurram]

As a jazzmusician I completely resonate with what he is saying..in fact his eloquence authority and authenticity on the subject matter to my mind come from the same place that his genius filled improvisations do.Bravo Thank you..I'm very pleased I found this :-)

[davidgee100]

at 2:00 Yes!!!

[taiwan886]

this dude is a genius (not necessarily from what he says on this video, but in everything he says about music).