Comments on: Betraying Bacon and Boating http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/ The glamorous life and thoughts of a concert pianist. Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:21:28 -0600 hourly 1 By: The Listless Lawyer » QOTD http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/comment-page-1/#comment-3777 The Listless Lawyer » QOTD Sat, 29 Mar 2008 18:15:16 +0000 http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/#comment-3777 [...] that way lies happiness,” I say to myself, “and yet this way lies bacon.” Happiness seems, at that moment, such an unwelcomely long-term proposition. The seared, [...] [...] that way lies happiness,” I say to myself, “and yet this way lies bacon.” Happiness seems, at that moment, such an unwelcomely long-term proposition. The seared, [...]

]]> By: Jeff http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/comment-page-1/#comment-3756 Jeff Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:05:19 +0000 http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/#comment-3756 Jeremy, Yes, at least the Paderewski editors did us the courtesy of parentheses. Others are not always so kind! Pianists are in a hard way for decent modern editions of the Barcarolle. The best of them currently available is hard to find: the New Polish National Edition, edited by Jan Ekier, does a pretty good job transmitting the complexity of the variants (look for Series A, vol. 12, published in 2002). Henle handles this complexity less well. Some of the best new Chopin editions are appearing with Peters London; when the Barcarolle volume eventually is published, it will definitely be worth a close look. Jeff Jeremy,

Yes, at least the Paderewski editors did us the courtesy of parentheses. Others are not always so kind!

Pianists are in a hard way for decent modern editions of the Barcarolle. The best of them currently available is hard to find: the New Polish National Edition, edited by Jan Ekier, does a pretty good job transmitting the complexity of the variants (look for Series A, vol. 12, published in 2002). Henle handles this complexity less well. Some of the best new Chopin editions are appearing with Peters London; when the Barcarolle volume eventually is published, it will definitely be worth a close look.

Jeff

]]> By: Jeremy Denk http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/comment-page-1/#comment-3754 Jeremy Denk Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:51:13 +0000 http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/#comment-3754 Jeff, Thanks for the wonderful link and the spot-on comment ... Of course, "rall," "a tempo," "cresc.," "dim," are all in parentheses, as are the liberal pedal markings in the ensuing A major section ... But parentheses are a sorry atonement for pushing a lot of interpretative crap onto Chopin's music. Shame on me not to be more distrusting of my edition, and believing that a detailed editorial apparatus translates automatically into a "pure" edition. Shame on me and shame on Paderewski Edition ... grrr! Jeremy Jeff,

Thanks for the wonderful link and the spot-on comment … Of course, “rall,” “a tempo,” “cresc.,” “dim,” are all in parentheses, as are the liberal pedal markings in the ensuing A major section … But parentheses are a sorry atonement for pushing a lot of interpretative crap onto Chopin’s music. Shame on me not to be more distrusting of my edition, and believing that a detailed editorial apparatus translates automatically into a “pure” edition. Shame on me and shame on Paderewski Edition … grrr!

Jeremy

]]> By: K K http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/comment-page-1/#comment-3750 K K Fri, 21 Mar 2008 05:39:03 +0000 http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/#comment-3750 Beautiful writing as always, but I especially enjoyed the last two paragraphs. As a fellow musician, I can relate to the inelegant actions of travel that we endure only so those actions can be traded for moments of sensual touch, expression and elegance. Like the subtitle of your blog, colleagues often recount an all too familiar tale from the road and laugh about the 'glamorous life' of musicians. Thanks for sharing your inspired musings here. Beautiful writing as always, but I especially enjoyed the last two paragraphs. As a fellow musician, I can relate to the inelegant actions of travel that we endure only so those actions can be traded for moments of sensual touch, expression and elegance. Like the subtitle of your blog, colleagues often recount an all too familiar tale from the road and laugh about the ‘glamorous life’ of musicians. Thanks for sharing your inspired musings here.

]]> By: Jeff http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/comment-page-1/#comment-3746 Jeff Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:09:29 +0000 http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/#comment-3746 Say, there's a fair amount of extra baggage in that edition you show of this amazing passage. Baggage that Chopin didn't pack, I mean to say. The Barcarolle isn't the easiest piece to edit (some big differences among the editions), but in this passage they all agree: no "rall.", no "a tempo", no "cresc.", no "dim.", and much less pedal in the A-major section. All of this would seem relevant to your (excellent) thoughts on the senses of time. You can look at Chopin's first editions at this fine site: http://www.cfeo.org.uk/apps/ Say, there’s a fair amount of extra baggage in that edition you show of this amazing passage. Baggage that Chopin didn’t pack, I mean to say. The Barcarolle isn’t the easiest piece to edit (some big differences among the editions), but in this passage they all agree: no “rall.”, no “a tempo”, no “cresc.”, no “dim.”, and much less pedal in the A-major section. All of this would seem relevant to your (excellent) thoughts on the senses of time.

You can look at Chopin’s first editions at this fine site:

http://www.cfeo.org.uk/apps/

]]> By: Jose http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/comment-page-1/#comment-3743 Jose Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:08:38 +0000 http://jeremydenk.net/blog/2008/03/19/betraying-bacon-and-boating/#comment-3743 And as my Oatmeal simmers away on the stove... Some semi-random musings of my own... I think this may be the first time I've ever seen Music, most certainly Chopin, broken down into food groups, Bacon and Oatmeal. Protein and Carbs. Fat and Fiber. Obviously, the first thought that comes to my mind is Shakespeare's: "If music be the food of love, play on." <em>Bon Appetit!</em> Your final sentence reminds me of a snorkeling trip in the Caribbean. As we were leaving the shore, we could see that we would be sailing through some rain, however, there was sunny, clearer weather on the other side of all of that dark. Racing through the storm, and being pelted by the cold rain drops was both dangerous and exhilarating - and since I had chosen to ride on the front of the boat in the open air, a little painful too. Once we reached the other side, it was like we had truly entered another world. Everything changed in an instant: the rain stopped, the sun appeared, and warmth was back in the air. And as I dove into the warm ocean... Finally, that "f&*() beautiful" passage is truly "f&*() beautiful". Even after repeated hearings - and "touchings" - it remains a wonderment. I had a similar reaction the first time I read thru Beethoven's Opus 31, No. 3. When I played that first A-b6 chord, I thought I had misread it, or that it might have even been a misprint. And then continuing on through the first phrase that ends with that "squiggle"... Was Beethoven really that cool, hip? Yes. And he still is. And as my Oatmeal simmers away on the stove… Some semi-random musings of my own…

I think this may be the first time I’ve ever seen Music, most certainly Chopin, broken down into food groups, Bacon and Oatmeal. Protein and Carbs. Fat and Fiber. Obviously, the first thought that comes to my mind is Shakespeare’s: “If music be the food of love, play on.” Bon Appetit!

Your final sentence reminds me of a snorkeling trip in the Caribbean. As we were leaving the shore, we could see that we would be sailing through some rain, however, there was sunny, clearer weather on the other side of all of that dark. Racing through the storm, and being pelted by the cold rain drops was both dangerous and exhilarating – and since I had chosen to ride on the front of the boat in the open air, a little painful too. Once we reached the other side, it was like we had truly entered another world. Everything changed in an instant: the rain stopped, the sun appeared, and warmth was back in the air. And as I dove into the warm ocean…

Finally, that “f&*() beautiful” passage is truly “f&*() beautiful”. Even after repeated hearings – and “touchings” – it remains a wonderment. I had a similar reaction the first time I read thru Beethoven’s Opus 31, No. 3. When I played that first A-b6 chord, I thought I had misread it, or that it might have even been a misprint. And then continuing on through the first phrase that ends with that “squiggle”… Was Beethoven really that cool, hip? Yes. And he still is.

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