[CAUT] RE: excessive pedalling?

Richard Adkins RADKINS@coe.edu
Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:44:06 -0600


---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Jeff, and Wim,
 
 I have one word for you "Vladimir Horowitz". Take
a listen to his Schumann, for esample, or Scriabin, watch the videos. 
 
Get a clue as to what can
be done with color, counterpoint, pedaling.
 
Then, tell me he needed to learn how to play the piano!
 
 Many of Juilliard grads who comes through here on the college/univ 
concert circuit "ride the una corda pedal". Some more than
others. These pianist are trained in the traditions taught
by the Russian emigre pianists, the Lhevinnes, 
Rosenthal etc(Liszt and Rubinstein, Leschetitsky pupils).
It may be that "Schanbel" pupils of Clara Schumann etc
don't use it that much. 
 
 All this to say, there is nothing wrong with riding the una corda
pedal,
and everything right with it when employed by a fine pianist.
 
 I think it is mighty presumptuos for piano techs, who do not play at
this
level to proclaim that an a pianist who employs the una corda pedal
this frequently doesn't know how to play the piano!
 
 Some pianists only do use 2 colors....pedal on/pedal off. 
Certain "import" pianos only have 2 colors, or 1 color even w/Una Corda
on, too.
But the glory of our US Steinway is that it has many colors, some of
which
are gotten using the Una Corda pedal and some by touch.
 
 What I'm reading from you two about not using it sounds pompous,
ignorant and arrogant.
I'm not talking about the newspaper critic, we all know about them
already.
 
Richard Adkins
 Coe College
 
 
 
 

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/f1/12/af/fc/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--

This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC