Comments

What a great interview. I've never been a fan of Schoenberg, but I'd be really interested to hear this recording when it comes out. The idea of turning it into "music" when so many people think of his works as academic, should shed quite a new light on the work, and quite possibly on many of his other works as well. Hilary,

Thanks for your candid comments and welcome to Violinist.com! I will be sure to check your new recording of the Schoenberg and hope to see you with the NSO in the spring.

Laurie,

you skipped the question on Pope Ratzinger!!

I can't forgive you

Antonello

Love the interview. The reason I was wondering about Mr. Brodsky's fav stories is that my old teacher, Herbert Greenberg, studied with JB back in 60's when he was VERY fiesty. My old teacher, who does not use a rest, had problems keeping his violin up and it really irritated Mr. Brodsky. So, he decided to put a small knife (no too sharp) between his tricep and his ribcage to keep his violin up! Not THAT is old school!
VIOLIN UP! Excellent interview! Great questions and marvelous answers!

And thankfully not one proposal! lol

Welcome to violinist dot com Hilary! I love the interview, and I love Hilary! :) Thanks, Laurie! listening to her bach and brahms totally blew me away If Hilary ever goes white water rafting again I would be very honored if she took along one of my violins I built. It has a carefully optimized paddle shape. Thanks, Laurie and Hilary. Ever since Laurie told us that there would be an interview, I've been checking v.com several times a day, hoping to find it. It was a great interview. It may even have changed my feelings about Schoenberg's music. "Thanks for your candid comments"

Candid comments?

Laurie,

Great interview!!!
Just wanted to quote a section for everyone to read again –– so simple and so profound.
Hilary Hahn: “What people don't think about is the technique of expression. Being technically accurate in itself isn't the goal, because that excludes the thought of phrasing. You have to practice playing the technical sections so that the technique is not important in what the audience is hearing. And you have to practice the bow technique of phrasing. You can't practice technique just to practice it, you have to actually apply it for it to work. ………

You can do all that from when you start, too. You don't have to wait a number of years. The earlier your start thinking about how to apply that do your playing, the easier it will be to apply it later.”

A brilliant young lady and a most brilliant musician.

Drew

Good on you Hilary !

I remember having a very brief chat with you when you were signing CDs after a performance at the Sydney Opera House, and thinking what a nice, natural, unspoilt character you are (as well as a really fantastic and musical violinist - you played one of the Mozart concertos).

By the way, some months back "The Strad" had a feature article about you and the lady who wrote the article said you are not "a classical beauty". When I read it I nearly choked. What a load of complete, absolute rubbish !!!

All the best.....

Hilary,

Just as true character is revealed in who we are or become in the absence of others, when alone, true musicianship is revealed in how we spend ourself as we work toward our goals. From the interview, it would seem to me that you understand both quite well.

Take care,
Chris

Hilary is one wise 27-year-old, and I do love what she is saying about serialism through both her actions and words; that she would commit so fully to interpreting, recording and performing the Schoenberg while also rejecting the mad, suffocating academia that has always surrounded serialism.

It is interesting to see what a younger generation is doing with tone rows and serialism; composer Michael McLean had a similar attitude, of approaching serialism as serving music, and not the other way around. His approach also involved humor: "The joke was composing a 12-tone row in the most lush, beautiful way," McLean said of the Air movement in his new violin concerto.

The musician makes the music. The tone row certainly does not, nor does any other academic formula.

Loved the interview! Very interesting and informative. Keep up the great work!
Patty