This evening, as I sometimes do, I began browsing around some of my favorite musicians websites. This search naturally took me towards the website of Ms. Hilary Hahn. I have written before of her playing and albums. Her Higdon and Tchaikovsky album I critiqued on my other blog while I was living in Europe almost 18 months ago. I enjoyed the album and actually my appreciation for it has grown over time, as all fine quality music does. Miss Hahn will be releasing a new album in the coming months of 27 new encores written for solo violin. It's a very exciting project and I am excited to see what comes of it, considering her talent and ability to interpret a composers wishes so precisely.
What surprised me this evening, however, was to look at her discography and see that her very first album that she released fifteen years ago in 1997 were the complete Bach sonatas and partitas. A bold task for any musician, especially one of her age. Yet her interpretation of the infamous Bach Chaconne has become the standard recording for many violinists today. What I am asking myself today, however, is how her interpretation would sound different today. If I have one critique of Miss Hahn, it is that her sound is very consistent and sometimes lacks excitement. Balance and consistency is key to the playing of Bach, which is why her interpretations are so stellar. However, with those strengths being so accentuated in all of her playing i wonder if perhaps her interpretation today wouldn't be exactly the same as it was 15 years ago. Of course there would be definite maturation of sound, perhaps slight differences in articulation. But overall I picture no great difference.
For an artist with her depth and understanding of music, it surprises me that her tone is as consistent as it is. She established such a mature sound at such a young age, I almost believe that she plateaued with that first recording. Her interpretations of modern works are so clean and precise that she champions whatever is presented in front of her with such perfection that the works almost seem to daunting to attempt afterwards.
However, the classcs are open to such wide variety of interpretation that I honestly prefer many other violinists recordings to hers for many of the classic concertos such as the Mendelssohn, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky.
I don't mean to be unnecessarily critical, but I believe that artists have a responsibility to branch out and try new things. I believe that Hahn has done an outstanding job of inspiring new compositions from multiple different composers and exposing the public to new works they might not otherwise listen to, I simply desire to see more pain and passion within her playing and not so much arithmetic.
These are the thoughts of a violinist on a Monday night. Who knows what the rest of the week might hold. Have a wonderful evening. Bye for now!
