Famous quote by Alfred Brendel

"If I belong to a tradition, it is a tradition that makes the masterpiece tell the performer what to do, and not the performer telling the piece what it should be like, or the composer what he ought to have composed"

About this Quote

Alfred Brendel's quote shows a profound viewpoint concerning the relationship in between a performer, a musical piece, and its composer. At its core, the statement stresses a paradigm of humility and regard for the work and its initial intent, suggesting that the performer's primary role is to serve as a vessel for the music, rather than enforcing individual analyses that might modify its essence.

Brendel, as a prominent pianist, is advocating for a method that focuses on fidelity to the composer's imagined masterpiece. When he refers to a custom where "the masterpiece [tells] the entertainer what to do", he implies that the composition itself holds intrinsic instructions or signs that guide how it should be played. This can involve an extensive understanding of the piece's historical context, structure, feelings, and nuances that the composer embedded within the work. This technique underscores the significance of interpretation based upon informed analysis and sensitivity to the composer's intents.

Conversely, Brendel cautions versus the performer adopting an authoritative stance over the music. The concept of the performer "telling the piece what it need to be like" suggests altering or eclipsing the composer's initial vision based on individual choice or virtuosity. Likewise, choosing "what [the author] ought to have made up" suggests a potentially big-headed stance that the entertainer understands better than the composer. Such mindsets can risk misshaping the authenticity of the music and interfering with the audience's ability to experience the piece as the author meant.

In essence, Brendel is advocating for an interpretative practice rooted in servitude to the piece, where the entertainer immerses themselves into the work, studying and embodying its spirit, permitting the music to shine through authentically. This frame of mind fosters a deep respect for the art form, promoting performances that honor the composers' intended emotional and intellectual effect.

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About the Author

Austria Flag This quote is from Alfred Brendel somewhere between January 5, 1931 and today. He/she was a famous Musician from Austria. The author also have 1 other quotes.
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