What makes it so bad in a great way is that absolutely everything in this video is a cliché. The scene is set with some insipid-sounding Vivaldi. Everyone is dressed in pseudo-18th century aristocratic formality. Then the cello duo enters, also dressed in 18th century garb. The unshaven stubble lets us know that we aren't really in the 18th century. The music begins well enough, but as the piece unfolds it becomes more and more insanely hyperactive--like bad Paganini on acid. When they reach the point where most of the hair on their bows is shredded and one of them is spinning around on the floor, the piece is over. It is like some nightmare where Marin Marais is transformed into Pete Townshend. You almost expect them to smash their cellos at the end.
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It's a shame that Spring has sort of become the musical symbol for the elitist aristocracy considering it's such a playful and unpretentious concerto, as all of Vivaldi's concerti, those which I've heard anyway - how many concerti can one person seriously write?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I didn't derive as much enjoyment from the video as you did. I think it's just bad period.
I think my mood when watching it was not so much enjoyment as horrified fascination.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to your question is "500", in the case of Vivaldi at least!