Young Musician of the Year 2018

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[BBMmk2]

what a lovely picture Ferney!

[zola]

A lot of interest in the percussion final I see. No, I didn't watch it either !

[Nick Armstrong]

A lot of interest in the percussion final I see. No, I didn't watch it either !

I did, late last night, while doing other things so as to avoid all the grinning chat. Not a huge percussion fan save when it's very very well played, and I must say that it was only the player that eventually won who made me stop what I was doing, sit up and listen hard. Stunning. Right verdict by some distance, I think...

... in contrast to the strings verdict. I've read the comments above and agree with most. Suffice to say that I had to mute the sound of the winning cellist and also the violinist from Cambridge - their tone and intonation (not least in the respective Stravinsky pieces) made my teeth hurt. I was very much behind the guitarist as being the one who should have won.

[french frank]

I was very much behind the guitarist as being the one who should have won.

I've been waiting to see what johnb or Richard Tarleton might have had to say. I listened specially because so many people had mentioned him. For me he was a bit underpowered (perhaps the instrument or just listening online?) though very nimble-fingered. I didn't find the Albéniz as idiomatic as some I've heard.

[Bergonzi]

I've been waiting to see what johnb or Richard Tarleton might have had to say. I listened specially because so many people had mentioned him. For me he was a bit underpowered (perhaps the instrument or just listening online?) though very nimble-fingered. I didn't find the Albéniz as idiomatic as some I've heard.

He was beautifully mic'ed up and recorded by the BBC (It's not often I say that) so it must have been something messing up on line.

I'm pleased that Caliban agreed with me over the Cambridge violinist's intonation, so there is two of us with good ears for intonation on here, at least ...

[french frank]

He was beautifully mic'ed up and recorded by the BBC (It's not often I say that) so it must have been something messing up on line.

I don't think it was to do with the recording. It just didn't seem to be quite robust enough for me. Others might like the delicacy

[Hornspieler]

I'm usually constructive too, but at age 18 the violinist in question is not so young when you think of Ricci, Menhuin, Heifetz, Oistrakh and many others who were vastly better than this musically and technically, at the age of between 8 and 12. Many of these musicians were playing the Tchaikovsky concerto by the age of twelve or younger, Joshua Bell for example, and some even the Paganini Caprices.

What the bass player and particularly the guitarist showed was pretty flawless technique but most importantly a real understanding of the music and were able to convey this and their personality to the audience in the hall and over the airwaves. The younger of the two violinists showed some real promise, but Ms Childress did not impress me two years ago and she's become a considerably worse player since then. We have to face up the the reality. She probably only got in this time because it was her second "go."

Absolutely in agreement!

The double bass candidate showed more musicianship and accuracy then any of the others in the section - and he seemed totally competent to play anything that was put in front of him.

HS

[Richard Tarleton]

I've been waiting to see what johnb or Richard Tarleton might have had to say. I listened specially because so many people had mentioned him. For me he was a bit underpowered (perhaps the instrument or just listening online?) though very nimble-fingered. I didn't find the Albéniz as idiomatic as some I've heard.

I confess I'd given the whole thing a miss this year but have just watched the guitarist on iPlayer . Because of the lighting I couldn't see the label in his guitar, so all I can say is it was a spruce-topped instrument, which is generally more favourable towards the early, baroque and classical repertoires (I thought he brought out the voices in the Fugue well). (Soundboards not made of spruce are made of cedar - western red cedar - see here for more on their respective characteristics, but of course it all depends who's playing).

The second piece, new to me, was pretty nifty. The Albeniz, I thought, was the least successful of the three pieces, and I wasn't sure that he was as on top of it it as he was the other two, several scrambles. It needed a bit more wellie, I thought. At least it wasn't Asturias, which is played to death and which I don't mind if I never hear again, at least on the guitar....

I marked him down for gurning, and although it's better for you, for using one of those ergonomic guitar supports, rather than a footstool, but then I'm a traditionalist.

[french frank]

The Albeniz, I thought, was the least successful of the three pieces, and I wasn't sure that he was as on top of it it as he was the other two. It needed a bit more wellie, I thought.

That was exactly my feeling - the intricacies of the early music were played very musically, but the Spanish piece needed a bit more fire. I saw somewhere he plays an Oren Myers guitar, unknown to me(?)

[Richard Tarleton]

That was exactly my feeling - the intricacies of the early music were played very musically, but the Spanish piece needed a bit more fire. I saw somewhere he plays an Oren Myers guitar, unknown to me(?)

And me, but I'm very out of touch and there are loads of luthiers around these days.... Doesn't mention price.....

[Pianorak]

Richard - didn't know you were a guitar expert. I bought a Jake Fuller "Purnell" guitar in 1999 with the intention of learning to play it - but soon gave up because I was just hopeless at it. It's a concert guitar made of Indian Rosewood back and sides plus European spruce top and ebony finger board. Paid £1850. Have you heard of J. Fuller? I love the sound of the classical guitar and am almost tempted to have another go.

[Richard Tarleton]

Richard - didn't know you were a guitar expert. I bought a Jake Fuller "Purnell" guitar in 1999 with the intention of learning to play it - but soon gave up because I was just hopeless at it. It's a concert guitar made of Indian Rosewood back and sides plus European spruce top and ebony finger board. Paid £1850. Have you heard of J. Fuller? I love the sound of the classical guitar and am almost tempted to have another go.

Not an expert - more of an enthusiastic amateur, though I go back a long way (I was already playing when I first heard Julian Bream, on 13 November 1969 ). Purnell also new to me, but what a fabulous looking and sounding guitar on this clip on his website - English Cherry back and sides - I love it! It looks as if he might be commanding rather higher prices these days.

It really made me wonder if that Young Musican's guitar was really "played in" - it had such a tight sound, as if it hadn't really opened up.

What has your guitar been doing since then - sitting in its case? - it deserves to be played .

[Pianorak]

Thanks for the link, Richard. I'm afraid yes, the guitar has been sitting in its case since then. I recently opened the case and noticed one string had snapped so took it to the music shop to have it restrung. There are some excellent guitar teachers on YouTube these days. I think I'm going to make a start with "Lessons by James" (JamesDevon.com) who seems to be thoroughly competent and a born teacher.

[ardcarp]

Just watched the percussion final. Absolutely gobsmacked by them all. Incredible musicianship from all 5. I don't know how the judges could put a cigarette-paper between them.