Top 100 Most Popular Classical Music Pieces

[Trinidad Baltzell]

Accordingto the article, the violinist Kennedy, who is 66, "said that young classical musicians starting out in their careers are sacrificing creativity and individuality and becoming 'clone-like,' urged on by music schools teaching a formulaic syllabus."

Classically trained himself, Kennedy gained popularity back in 1986 by recording one of the most popular classical pieces of all-time, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons. Over his long career he branched out into many genres and showed much creativity, re-imagining songs by Jimi Hendrix, and collaborating with some great rock stars like Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, The Who and Led Zeppelin.

With respect to Kennedy, I have been listening to quite a few of today's classically-trained young violinists, and I have to disagree on the "clone" count. I'm seeing creativity and originality all over the place. I also find evidence that classical institutions are embracing not only rigor, but also originality. So I will present a few examples from a rising generation of thoughtful, original, and creative musicians who were "classically trained" and who are now showing us exciting new directions for the future.

Let's start with Latvian violinist Roberts Balanas, who recently emerged from the Royal Academy of Music. It doesn't seem like a classical education suppressed his brilliance or creativity. In fact I believe I hear a little Bach in his version of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall." He also "scordifies" his fiddle right in the middle of the tune, it's really impressive.

It's been played so many times, you wouldn't think anyone could do anything new. But wow. She is technically brilliant, yes. Also, she has me jumping out of my chair and wondering what she will do next. "Clone"? No way! Her originality came through in the same way, when I saw her play live at last spring's Juilliard Symposium, which, by the way, was where she studied - she has a Masters in Music in Historical Performance from The Juilliard School. Here is another example of her playing - she makes something as familiar as Mozart Concerto No. 5 unfold like a new invention.

Here's another classically-trained violinist who is clearly not being a "Clone" - Curtis Stewart. Seems like he's using everything he ever learned - classical and otherwise - in his show-stopping arrangement of "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder, which he played live the Grammys in 2022.

He did have that classical training, then vigorously sought to find his own unique voice. He's also now among that generation of new educators - a faculty member at Juilliard who teaches at the Perlman Music Program and at the LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts - who emphasize both good technical training and using music as an expressive means.

I'm sure my readers can help me come up with more "classically-trained musicians these days" who have either found their way to a variety of genres or who have stayed with classical music, who distinctly don't play like "clones."

Kennedy does have a point about education - that we don't want to get so strict and didactic that young musicians become locked into a single way of doing things. And yes, classical music education has been guilty of that.

But let's make a distinction between education and performance, the learning of technique and musicality, and the application of those things by an artist. I still had to learn my alphabet and phonics to learn to read. I had to learn spelling and basic grammar in order to write. I had to learn addition and multiplication before I could muddle through a calculus class.

Yes, violinists will ever have to learn scales, double-stops, keys, music reading, music theory. Even if you forego a "formal classical education" an artist will put in the time and sweat learning it all, by hook or by crook.

Nigel is right about this: a student's "love of music" should never be quashed, and a program or a teacher who systematically does that is bad news. But sheer "love of music" will only get most people so far, if the goal is to gain the freedom that comes with true fluency on an instrument such as the violin, viola, cello, piano, etc. If sheer "love of music" drives you to undertake the considerable work of mastering your instrument, then great. But if you need a teacher, a program, and a bit of grit to get there, then classical training is a pretty good bet, whatever direction you wish to go from there.

Fortunately, a lot of classical programs "these days" are aware of the crushing dogmas of the past, and they aim for something better: the rigor of a good education alongside that "love for music" and exploratory spirit that drives us in the first place. Let's celebrate the successes of our best artists - young, middle-aged and old - and be inspired by their artistry and their creativity. Kennedy is among them.

August 14, 2023 at 11:42 PM It seems like one of those things that emerges in retrospect. The more a name gets big and has many performances and develops a career, the more the performer can establish an individual style.

If we see a great variety in all the Galamian Students, is it because of Galamian, or because they played at a high enough level to be able to make big careers, and doing so, they then had the opportunity to develop very individual voices which retroactively made Galamian seem like someone who produced very individual voices? Maybe Galamian did, and his style was one of leaving few stylistic marks. Or maybe what we like is the product of a teacher who leaves stylistic marks.

Did Auer not have very strong opinions that he imprinted on his students, and did Auer students not seem ever so individuated? And did any of these teachers do much more than take incredibly talented students that already played at a world-class level and put a certain brand on them?

What does it mean to be a Bron student these days, and what do they have in common except maybe that they all got there because they play exceptionally and because it's hard to make a career without a marketing push.

My money is currently on the Koreans to produce the best musicians, but maybe Nigel should give the kids a chance and maybe send them some kilts as a peace offering. Sometimes one of the best ways to sound 'the same' is by consciously trying to sound 'different'.

August 15, 2023 at 07:19 AM Our Nige has never done his best speaking through his mouth. The situation as I see it is that young players today divide into those who are happy to perform within the traditional limits of "classical" music and those that are doing their best to extend those limits. The former are indeed difficult to tell apart because there are only so many ways in which Bruch's G minor can be performed, only too easy to become acquainted with through the internet. The latter (of which Nige himself of course was a pioneer) are often stimulating to listen to but sometimes risk being accused of willful gimmickry.

Knowing many younger violinists, some of whom have studied with me, I can say and unequivocally, I agree w/ then 'Nasty Nigel' and, I mean this as an affectionate term in nicknaming him which Brit, Stephen Brivati, has termed 'our Nige' and rightly so!!!

The immense pressure of several generations following The Icon's of Violin Playing Generation, aka, Heifetz, Milstein, David Oistrakh, Arthur Grumiaux, Henryk Szeryng, Isaac Stern, and Leonid Kogan, were and still remain exacting to every young violinist aspiring to enjoy a global Concert Performing/ Recording Career ... To try to address Ivan Galamian, The pedagogue at Juilliard, three of his pupils were in our Jascha Heifetz Violin Original Master Class, and it may shock some, but none could express any of the prime Bach Unaccompanied Violin Sonatas & Partitas with any semblance of smooth Chord Bowing whatsoever. This, in and of itself, explains Why Mr. Heifetz did not invite any of the Three Galamian trained pupils to play Unaccompanied Bach or 1 movement of a Bach Violin Concerto for our individual JH Violin Master Class films.

The only pupil to play a Movement of the Bach Violin Concerto #1 in a minor, was a very rare gifted 14 yr old, Carol Sindell, long time pupil of Great Josef Gingold, former Concertmaster of George Szell's Cleveland Orchestra in its glory days, later on becoming the

Distinguished Professor of Violin at Indiana/Bloomington's Jacobs School of Music, and who knew bowing techniques plus musical artistry fused with spirituality well & imbued all of his pupil's with the same respect via Great Mentoring of bowing skills w/musical dignity ... I did not hear/see Josef Gingold mentioned and it is a huge oversight. Gingold, amongst finest String Mentors Globally, is thought of as the GOAT in America Violinist-Mentor of Artist Pupils, not withstanding some odd others from also superb early beginning violin mentors ...

Another Great and individually identifiable Violinist, of a just prior 'Second Generation' of us, was and remains Prime US GOAT Ms Camilla Wicks, acclaimed by Jean Sibelius, for her conquering of his Violin Concerto hurdles technically and for her Artistry in her Recording with Great Swedish Conductor, Sixteen Erhling & his Stockholm Symphony, which when being heard a First Time by Sibelius, himself, penned a Note of Gratitude to Camilla Wicks, aged 24, inviting her to come to Helsinki, FI, to visit him personally to meet and offer her his grand compliments!!! This is No Small Matter!! Another 'in-between' The Greatest Generation of Iconic Violinists, was Oscar Shumsky of NYC, and perhaps David Nadian, former Concertmaster of the NY Philharmonic! One More: A mustn't forget Joseph Silverstein, both Soloist & Concertmaster of

It was the Trilogy of Violinists Greatest Generation, JH/NM/DO and Idol, Fritz Kreisler, a bit earlier, and for lack of better words, 'Front Runner' of All Icons of Twentieth Century GOAT Icon Violinists ...

Today, and Nigel Kennedy having obviously 'grown up' as a mature musician and person, IMO, Nails it with his in the Guardian.com Comments! No Doubt & a discerning Violinist/Concert Performing and Recording for both Radio & Television Artist myself, I notice 'Same Sounding' Very Fine Violinists, aka, Janine Janson, Terrific! Hilary Hahn, wonderful yet not individual enough as set against Heifetz, Milstein, Oistrkh, Kreisler, plus a wondrous violinist and also Unique sound, Elmar Oliveira, US, with whom no one seems to know the teacher, and taking a wild guess, I don't think my friend, Elmar O., needed a teacher in the traditional sense due to his unique personality fused with at birth technique and a marvellous musical soul which pours forth from a wondrous human soul of Elmar Oliveira ... I would 'place' Elmar Oliveira in the Greatest American Violinist of Twentieth/Twenty First Century, without Question!! I saw a Replier here ask for Laurie to put this Subject in the form of a Poll for many to Vote on & also write in their thoughts ... I Second the Suggestion of @Rich Maxham, who has a wonderfully and fair objective idea to continue this very important & Now, view or views of Nigel Kennedy and from 'Across the Pond' in America, many US Violinist.com Members!!!

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