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I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this!! It's kind of funny watching him play Mozart after listening to something like the obscure Romantic music he's known for, but it comes out mighty well, in my opinion.
Generally, I like Hamelin's playing, but I don't find him infallible. I'm influenced, I am sure, by having met him a few years ago and thinking then that he came across as a very pleasant, communicative, and unassuming person, intelligent and with a good sense of humour.
His live Youtube performance of Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau" was quite a disappointment to me. But then, not everyone plays all composers well; moreover, a single, live performance isn't always the best indicator of a performer's perspective on a particular composer's music.
I like this performance very much. He doesn't play (this) Mozart as if it were a toss-off. He seems to approach the work with the same sense of commitment that any good artist should give to Mozart. His manner at the keyboard is - to use the same word, again - unassuming; it's about Mozart and not about Hamelin is my impression, and that's as it should be.
His live Youtube performance of Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau" was quite a disappointment to me. But then, not everyone plays all composers well; moreover, a single, live performance isn't always the best indicator of a performer's perspective on a particular composer's music.
I would like to suggest that your second hypothesis is the right one here. In the documentary "No Limits", which shows Hamelin's preparations for a concert and then the concert itself, we are treated to (among other things) the complete second book of Debussy's preludes. His interpretation and touch is fantastic-- some of my favorite playing of his ever.
His live Youtube performance of Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau" was quite a disappointment to me. But then, not everyone plays all composers well; moreover, a single, live performance isn't always the best indicator of a performer's perspective on a particular composer's music.
I would like to suggest that your second hypothesis is the right one here. In the documentary "No Limits", which shows Hamelin's preparations for a concert and then the concert itself, we are treated to (among other things) the complete second book of Debussy's preludes. His interpretation and touch is fantastic-- some of my favorite playing of his ever. -Jason
Thank you for that insight.
I would very much like to believe that that is the case. He is a highly intelligent musician, and I expect of him idiomatic interpretations of the works of any composer whose works he decides to perform. Then again, as far as "Reflets dans' l'eau" is concerned it may very well be that my interpretation/perspective is the one that's off-base, not his.
Hamelin always struck me as the kind of artist who would grow better with age. I think in 30 years we'll be looking back on his early albums as one hears early Horowitz now, and at the same time marveling at the ripe, mature fruits of an artist with the perspective of a lifetime of experience.
Excellent performance. This is the only Mozart work Hamelin has ever recorded (if I remember correctly), which is quite a shame; his control over dynamics makes Mozart come off very well (IMHO).