The Myth of Interpreter

What is the difference between going to June Anderson's recital and Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour? The answer is: not much. The excitement and anticipation is also based on my myth towards the performer and her rendition. So - going to watch a star. Could it be less musical?! We're so tempted to ignore the music itself. The star is the only thing we see, and hopefully listen to.

Focusing on the voice did nevertheless let me think of the charm of lyrical singing - it's all about the timbre. June Anderson's encore was the classic "Mio Babbino Caro" (link to youtube). I asked myself, for such a relatively simple writing from Puccini, why is it still so effective to touch people, no matter we're musically trained or not. Besides the genius of the composer, I think the human voice itself has soooo much to do for the expression. There lies the difference between classical and pop - classical singers work so hard on the voice itself. In music written for the so-called bel canto, we dare to introduce long notes for the expressiveness as we know the timbre/volume/articulation/phrasing of the voice would be carefully controlled. For pop music, how the voice is worked on is totally different, I'll say intuitive. It's not the sophistication of the voice that charms, but the groove in everything. (For impressive long notes in pop songs, I can't help thinking of Thom Yorke doing "Creep" and the classic climax with the word "runs". Goosebumps all over already when he took the mic off the stand!! (link to youtube)).

Like it or not, classical music is always about precision, which involves both technique and expression. The technique of doing the correct thing precisely at the right moment is important, but how NOT to let this control suffocate the expression is essential. I can see June Anderson more the "controlled" type, while the younger star Anna Netrebko is more the "expressive" type. And that's why Maria Callas can be a legend, with everything so balanced (even the acting) and effective.

So do I like vocal works? More and more indeed. Especially after I was opened to the world of singing years ago being a chorister of Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette". Nonetheless, after loads of training in attentive listening at school, I can't say that the voice interests me the most. In fact, the MUSIC itself has a lot to be discovered already. Why do we go to recitals? The myth of the interpreter, is it that unshakeable? I do admire musicians of their musicality, how they are capable of integrating themselves with the music and become the most efficient media to revive the emotions stored on several sheets of score. But I'm eventually more curious about how the whole thing works out - the composers' wisdom. I do pay a lot of attention to the melody, the rhythm, the harmony, the instrumentation and the structure when I listen. My professor said, "All great composers are great liars." I can't agree more. They are the best prestidigitateurs (or magicians in English, though I love the French word more as it's originated from "presto" and "digits", like "fast fingers") who distract you by saying "hey! have a look here" but actually they're discreetly doing something else which you're not paying attention to. How they mesmerize, that's the mystery by which music keeps haunting me.

A recital is rather an entertainment. Good music, big star, great voice. We could be very passive and lazy but still have a good evening. Anyway we should ask for more shouldn't we!

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Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
Paolo Olmi - June Anderson
01/10/2008 20:00 Salle Pleyel

Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine
Paolo Olmi : direction
June Anderson : soprano

PROGRAMME DU CONCERT
* Gioachino Rossini
Semiramide - Recit "Bel raggio" avec introduction orchestrale et air "Dolce pensiero"
Le voyage à Reims - "Ouverture"
* Vincenzo Bellini
Norma - Air « Casta Diva »
Norma - "Sinfonia"
La Sonnambula - Aria "Ah non credea"
La Sonnambula- Cabaletta "Ah, non giunge"
* Giuseppe Verdi
Otello - Aria "Mia madre"
Otello - "Ave Maria"
Les Vêpres Siciliennes - musiques de danse
* Gaetano Donizetti
Anna Bolena - Aria "Al dolce guidami"
Anna Bolena - Cabaletta « Coppia iniqua »
* Giacomo Puccini
Gianni Schicchi - Aria "Mio babbino caro"