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Post by julesd68 on Jun 19, 2017 19:49:18 GMT
A young violinist to keep an eye on is Esther Yoo. She's a 21 year old American who is signed to DG and has already recorded the Tchaikovsky, Sibelius and Glazounov concertos with Ashkenazy. There seem to be so many young and talented female violinists around so it must be incredibly difficult to break through at this level but her live performances have been getting some great reviews and so I'm hoping to see her perform in London later on this year ...  |
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 19, 2017 20:11:53 GMT
I am sure she is very talented, but my cynical suspicion is that DG signed Ms Loo up as she is prettier than most of the others. "One to watch" indeed! I do find it all a bit depressing. I must be getting old.  |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 19, 2017 20:29:47 GMT
LOL Jerry - I'll try to find a pic of her where she is less attractive, then you can take her more seriously!  There are no shortage of pretty violinists around but that doesn't count for much when you are all alone on some of the best concert stages of the world! I don't think DG would be wasting their time if they didn't have a serious talent on their hands. I'm going to have a dig around youtube and see what I can find of Ms Yoo ... |
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Post by jandl100 on Jun 19, 2017 20:50:58 GMT
That's not what I said nor what I meant!
I don't doubt her talent - but from a dozen or two very talented young female violinists do you seriously doubt that her looks weren't important?
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 19, 2017 21:22:33 GMT
Sorry if I have misunderstood you Jerry.
I genuinely think the issue of how important looks are is impossible to tell at this elite level - we’d have to ask some record biz people.
My guess is that sure looks can be an issue as part of the overall ‘package’ that a record company has to promote but their talent must ultimately be more important …
Ultimately DG will be looking for that something extra that sets the artist apart from the pack.
Here she is performing as part of BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artists in 2015 - I think it's the emotional maturity in her playing that comes across stronger than anything.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 20, 2017 10:36:33 GMT
If The Elephant Man or woman could play like that I assume they would be up there.
Or is it that crowded at the top ?
Good looking ?
No disrespect, she's *ok*. It's her playing that is virtuoso
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Post by MartinT on Jun 20, 2017 10:41:54 GMT
The playing comes first. I love Nicola Benedetti's playing. The fact that she looks stunning is a bonus, of course, but I wouldn't bother if she couldn't play.
Yoo looks better in the first photo, I assume she's lost weight. Nevertheless, she can play!
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Post by MikeMusic on Jun 20, 2017 10:44:12 GMT
Unlike pop music of course.
Must look good and be able to dance
Ed Sheeran, porky ginge being one exception.
Don't like his music, glad to see he is still successful though.
We need normal looking people in all things please
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Post by MartinT on Jun 20, 2017 11:52:21 GMT
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Post by Slinger on Jun 20, 2017 12:43:20 GMT
I think the differentiation occurs between "hard line" classical fans who collect (what they consider to be) excellent performances and fans at the other end of the scale who buy The Four Seasons, a box set of Beethoven and "that Hovis advert" music.
Hard fans (if I can call them that) are not likely to be influenced to buy a mediocre version of a piece because of a pretty performer. Hard fans might extol the virtues of Alessandrini's Four Seasons, but I bet Vanessa Mae's CD (and young Nige's come to that) outsold it.
A pretty face on the cover will attract the occasional rack browser. It will also help record companies to promote a title in secondary outlets such as supermarkets and bookshops or even on TV.
Pretty performers like Ms. Mae, Anne Sophie Mutter (who had the looks AND the patronage of von Karajan) and the aforementioned Nicola Benedetti or performers like Nige who have their own gimmick, would not have been signed if they didn't have talent, but as Jules has proved, being good looking doesn't hurt.
Obviously, for the sake of brevity and your sanity, I've oversimplified my argument, but I wonder if Esther Yoo would still be "one to watch" if she had buck-teeth, pebble glasses, and a paunch. It wouldn't lessen her talent as a violinist, we just might never have heard of her.
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 20, 2017 13:35:01 GMT
Nicely put Paul but we'll have no more Four Seasons bashing on this forum LOL And yes, I do have a new version that I've yet to play ... |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 20, 2017 16:59:29 GMT
I've found a nice looking recital with Ms Yoo on 22 September - at LSO St Luke's Going to do my best to attend! www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=20886
Grieg Violin Sonata No 3 in C minor Op 45
Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending (original version for violin and piano)
Ysaÿe Ballade (Sonata No 3 in D minor for solo violin)
Trad Korean arr Jungyu Park Milyang ArirangEsther Yoo violin Robert Koenig piano |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 20, 2017 17:42:36 GMT
but I bet Vanessa Mae's CD (and young Nige's come to that) outsold it I don't like Mae, not because of her flamboyance but because her interpretations are decidedly odd. Nige is one of those 'posh boys turned common'. I don't know why he disavows his roots so strongly, but I wasn't that wowed when I saw him play. Now Alison Balsom can walk on water... |
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 20, 2017 18:47:12 GMT
Artists like Mae are marketed on image, not ability - personally I don't think you could include Mutter and Benedetti in that list - they are different class in terms of musicianship ... Yuja Wang is an interesting case. I really don't like her style of playing at all in spite of her having one of the most fearsome techniques in the biz. Anyway, she wears some gear that looks, how do I put it, somewhat odd in the concert hall. She says - 'I can wear long skirts when I'm 40' ...  |
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Post by MartinT on Jun 20, 2017 19:06:17 GMT
I tried Wang on a few YouTubes and she is quite convincing. Fearsome technique, as you say Jules, but her Mendelssohn (and you won't hear me quote his music very often) is stunning.
The YouTube comments are the usual shite from armchair critics who probably couldn't play a gramophone.
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Post by julesd68 on Jun 21, 2017 13:12:33 GMT
Thanks for posting that Martin - this work does make a better case for her than what I saw in concert, but I still find her style a bit too relentless, too often ...
She does tend to polarise audiences as seen in the YouTube comments ...
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Post by MikeMusic on Jul 8, 2017 16:00:24 GMT
From a classical numpty....
There are a lot of Chinese making appearances.
Indicative of them opening up to the world and their huge population
Culture may also be part as I am not aware of anywhere near as many Indians playing. Another huge population
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Post by julesd68 on Jul 9, 2017 13:46:25 GMT
The Chinese and Japanese take the learning of classical music *very* seriously - children start learning at a really young age indeed and are worked hard to produce top musicians.
It's not just a geographical phenomenon , it appears to be cultural as the same thing happens over here.
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Post by MikeMusic on Jul 9, 2017 13:52:59 GMT
Thanks Jules. Good to know
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Post by julesd68 on Jul 9, 2017 17:22:47 GMT
I've noticed that Esther Yoo is now the first 'Artist in Residence' for the RPO in 2018 ...
From the press release -
< Let’s begin with Esther Yoo, a former BBC Young Generation artist and who first came to international attention in 2010 where she became the youngest ever prize winner of the International Sibelius Violin Competition. In 2018, the RPO is delighted to welcome her as its first ever Artist-in-Residence. Esther will begin her RPO journey by performing Sibelius’ Violin Concerto (2 May 2018) with further concerts planned in Autumn 2018. >
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