"Welcome to Shorworld": the rise of wealthy dilettante composer Alexey Shor

[Cato]

I am listening to the 5th violin concerto now. Wasn't 4 enough? This guy's music has no sense of direction at all. It just goes from one trite passage to another without any momentum or overall architecture. The poor violinist looks like he's in pain. Dude must really pay well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsdK-PpTIQc

So, this man is similar to Saul D., but with money?    😇

[Florestan]

So, this man is similar to Saul D., but with money?    😇

Alma Deutscher might qualify as well.

Still, I can think of much more harmful things in this crazy world of ours than their music.

[CRCulver]

The guy doesn't compel anyone to play or record his music, on the contrary, he pays good money to anyone willing to play or record it. I see nothing wrong with that. Then, there are people willing to pay tickets to hear his music live. I see nothing wrong with that, either.

I'm not sure the feeling of unease seen here and at VAN is not directed so much at Shor himself, but rather at the performers of Shor's music and record labels who can no longer be relied on as a mark of quality. Put it this way: if an august firm like Faber & Faber suddenly began acting like a vanity press, printing the poetry of whatever millionaire dilettante poet wanted to pay, would we not think that a shame?

[(poco) Sforzando]

Alma Deutscher might qualify as well.

Still, I can think of much more harmful things in this crazy world of ours than their music.

Yes, but Alma Deutscher is up there.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I am subjecting myself to Alma Deutscher's Piano Concerto as I write. It's like winding up a doll and watching it play until the battery runs out. There's not an interesting let alone original musical idea anywhere there; it's like a succession of transitional passages starting from nowhere and leading nowhere, interrupted only by a set of cadenzas. And she looks so happy and satisfied with herself, as if she was truly a musical genius.

And she also has a piece called "In memory of the victims of October 7, 2023." Can't wait.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'm greatly puzzled, Larry. Why do you keep wasting your time on Shor's music? 

Because one is not entitled to express an opinion on garbage unless one has actually experienced the garbage.

[Karl Henning]

Because one is not entitled to express an opinion on garbage unless one has actually experienced the garbage.

Only fair.

The two most threatening words in classical music: Alexey Shor Violin Concerto Number Four.

I'm hoping I needn't directly experience the garbage to feel the urge to shy away from it.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I'm hoping I needn't directly experience the garbage to feel the urge to shy away from it.

Misery loves company. Why should I be the only one to suffer?

[AnotherSpin]

Because one is not entitled to express an opinion on garbage unless one has actually experienced the garbage.

Actually, garbage is not garbage until it is officially recognized as such. There were positive comments about Shor's music on this forum, right? Back then, people simply didn't know it was garbage, and they couldn't figure it out themselves.

[AnotherSpin]

I am subjecting myself to Alma Deutscher's Piano Concerto as I write. It's like winding up a doll and watching it play until the battery runs out. There's not an interesting let alone original musical idea anywhere there; it's like a succession of transitional passages starting from nowhere and leading nowhere, interrupted only by a set of cadenzas. And she looks so happy and satisfied with herself, as if she was truly a musical genius.

And she also has a piece called "In memory of the victims of October 7, 2023." Can't wait.

Very accurately said. This can be applied not only to composition but also to interpretation, can't it? Recordings of some of the trendy stars, actively promoted on this forum in particular, give me exactly those feelings.

[Florestan]

Because one is not entitled to express an opinion on garbage unless one has actually experienced the garbage.

You already experienced the Number Four garbage. Did you expect quality from Number Five? 

[Florestan]

I'm hoping I needn't directly experience the garbage to feel the urge to shy away from it.

I've never heard Saul's music, nor do I feel any urge to hear it.

[Florestan]

I'm not sure the feeling of unease seen here and at VAN is not directed so much at Shor himself, but rather at the performers of Shor's music and record labels who can no longer be relied on as a mark of quality. Put it this way: if an august firm like Faber & Faber suddenly began acting like a vanity press, printing the poetry of whatever millionaire dilettante poet wanted to pay, would we not think that a shame?

Naxos has already recorded tons of obscure music (and so have many other equally respectable labels). Shor is a drop in the ocean.

[(poco) Sforzando]

I've never heard Saul's music, nor do I feel any urge to hear it.

A commendable state of affairs.

[Karl Henning]

Per the thread title: I doubt it's even a nice place to visit ....

[Brian]

A budding superstar, Behzod Abduraimov, has recorded a Shor album:



From My Bookshelf, Suite for Piano and Orchestra No. 2

the eight movements, lasting 36 minutes, all depict book characters on his bookshelf

I. Cinderella
II. Don Quixote
III. Tom Sawyer
IV. Quasimodo
V. Queen of Hearts
VI. D'Artagnan
VII. King Matt the First
VIII. Romeo and Juliet

(King Matt comes from a Polish children's book)

sound samples: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9733565--shor-composers-notebook-vol-2

[ritter]

A budding superstar, Behzod Abduraimov, has recorded a Shor album:

...
sound samples: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9733565--shor-composers-notebook-vol-2

Pfui Teufel !!!  

[(poco) Sforzando]

A budding superstar, Behzod Abduraimov, has recorded a Shor album:



From My Bookshelf, Suite for Piano and Orchestra No. 2

the eight movements, lasting 36 minutes, all depict book characters on his bookshelf

I. Cinderella
II. Don Quixote
III. Tom Sawyer
IV. Quasimodo
V. Queen of Hearts
VI. D'Artagnan
VII. King Matt the First
VIII. Romeo and Juliet

(King Matt comes from a Polish children's book)

sound samples: https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9733565--shor-composers-notebook-vol-2

That was more than enough for moi. But I'm waiting for Yuja to perform it live, with a suitable change of attire for each movement. Then Hurwitz will give it a 10/10, alongside his most recent glowing review of the music of Nikolai Kapustin.