Perfunctory performances

There are at least two musical pieces, a perfunctory performance of which would not only not do a disservice to the composer, but would actually be preferred. The first is obviously Saint-Saens's "Pianists" from his Carnival of the Animals, depicting two pianists learning to play a scale-like passage. The performers are supposed to deliberately miss some of the notes in the beginning, and then, show gradual "improvements" along the way. I can still remember attending a live performance of the Carnival by the Boston Chamber Music Society: the ascending scale in the opening was as mechanical and uneven as it could be, and the resulting effect was absolutely hilarious. It reminded me of the years when I struggled to play scales and arpeggios evenly, a stage of learning that almost every pianist is condemned to go through. Putting such an episode amidst pieces for "the animals", Saint-Saens has perhaps inadvertently emphasized the artificiality of what we consider as fine art. Is he trying to say: it is more "natural", and thus, closer to the beasts, if pianists can play scales with less refinement?

The second example I am thinking is less well known, but equally noteworthy: Schumann's "Familien-Gemaelde", from his Four Duets (Op. 34). I came across this little piece while listening to Graham Johnson's remarkable cycle of Schumann songs (Songs of Robert Schumann; Vol. 7; Dorothea Roeschumann/Ian Bostridge/Graham Johnson; Hyperion). Here, perfunctoriness is preferred, in the sense that a very musical or refined rendition would take away the homely, domestic atmosphere that Schumann wants to impart. In this duet, we hear a simple, albeit attractive, melody with an equally simple chordal accompaniment. Listening to this duet, we can almost see a snapshot of the everyday musical life in Schumann's family: after dinner, Clara sits down in front of a slightly out-of-tuned piano; two of the Schumann children then volunteer to sing before an audience consisting of a few friends, and then, Robert, the composer, is urged to be the page turner of Clara. The performance is then concluded with cheers from the audience admiring the charm of the singers' voices as well as Schumann's music.

This duet, and perhaps many other lieder of Schubert and Schumann, was meant to be consumed domestically by the rising middle class. It was a time without televisions and CD players; such Biedermeier pieces fulfilled their need of entertainment. We have long passed the age in which composers would still write quality music for amateurs or connoisseurs.

By the way, I cannot recommend the Graham Johnson series of Schumann songs more highly. I truly think he deserves to be called the "King of Accompaniment" of this era.