Re: Let's get to the real beef of the Verbier Festival for once.

Haydn House wrote:
"Babana notes" is a term given to me by the late Samuel Sanders (Surely you
know who he was!) at a concert of the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival in the
early 90's . One of the violinists playing was "infected" with them. I
was visibly annoyed while recording this section of the concert.
Sam, not playing (would later play piano a Schubert Piano quintet - the
cellist was Bernard Greenhouse who live on Cape Cod then andnow) came over
and asked, why such a gloomy face? I said there is a lack of cohesion with
so sort of individual sounding notes durint regular musical phrases. He
said something like, "Oh that business. I call them "banana notes" as
though each note in the printed score must be played as though it were in
the shape of a banana. It has been with us at Juilliard now for the last 5
or 6 years or so. All the string players are doing it." Then he said this,
(almost perfect quote as I can best remember it) "They have no idea of what
the real world of music is like. They all graduate from Juilliard able to
play the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto quite well, but ask them to play second
fiddle in a Haydn Symphony or Quartet and they all have no idea. And it is
a shame, as 99.9 % of them will wind up having to play this music."
I recorded this yearly Summer Festival from 1990 thru 2002 with some
incredible performances still in my archives. NPR took in over 2002 and I
lost the account. No great loss for me, as Sam passed on suddenly in 1994
or 5, Brian Zieger, Sam's proteg�, took over running the Festival � la Sam
for a while and then left. Sam was a great musician to know, had incredible
insights on performing, and shared them like the great teacher he was, and
had a wonderful sense of humor, never ever having a thumb up his ass like
some many other well-knowns - so called - I've recorded over these 40 years.
Sorry to ramble on but I think it's information well worth the read.
By the way, Bernard Greenhouse was full of stories about his Beaux Arts Trio
years, and down to earth like Sam was. He informed me about how Philips
recorded the famous trio, what mics, placements etc. and quite specific too.
It supposed to be a well kept secret.

Thanks for the info. Does "banana" shaped notes mean with a swell in
the middle? And what does "ya-ya" stand for? BTW, sorry, no, I didn't
know who Sanders was but I looked him up. He is certainly very right
about the disconnectedness of many music students from actual playing
which is why it is so hard for many to find work. Orchestras aren't
looking for little virtuosi who can spool off repertoire they have
practiced for years, they are looking for intelligent and flexible
musicians.
.

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