What's with the Abbado-Grimaud dispute?

Started by Xenophanes, October 31, 2011, 06:12:20 PM

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Xenophanes

Helene Grimaud wants to use the Busoni cadenza in a recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 for DG. Conductor Claudio Abbado wants to use the cadenza Mozart wrote.  Isn't this the prerogative of the soloist? What's with Abbado?

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/arts/music/helene-grimaud-and-claudio-abbado-part-ways.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha28

Szykneij

Since, during a live performance, the conductor lowers his baton at the start of the cadenza and doesn't raise it again until the cadenza is complete, it sure seems like it should be the performer's prerogative.
Men profess to be lovers of music, but for the most part they give no evidence in their opinions and lives that they have heard it.  ~ Henry David Thoreau

Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines. ~ Satchel Paige

Marc

No matter whose prerogative, they should have discussed this issue before even starting the entire project.
This goes especially for Abbado, since apparently it really mattered to him, which meant that in the end the Busoni alternative was unacceptable.

Btw: in general, not mentioning anything about cadenzas in the booklet is a bad thing. Credit where credit is due.

Karl Henning

Quote from: Xenophanes on October 31, 2011, 06:12:20 PM
Helene Grimaud wants to use the Busoni cadenza in a recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 for DG. Conductor Claudio Abbado wants to use the cadenza Mozart wrote.  Isn't this the prerogative of the soloist?

Not so cut-and-dried.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Willoughby earl of Itacarius

They should have agreed before recording it.