The Perception and the Reality

I used to work with a business person who liked to say that "perception is reality." I guess he meant something having to do with marketing or promotion or reputation or something. But of course those two words refer to things that are often opposed. We perceive one thing, but the reality is something else. Rather like political polls, come to think of it.

The perception and reality that I want to talk about is that of the difference between musicians or composers who are perceived to be at the very top of their profession as opposed to the ones who really are. I have talked a lot about Grigory Sokolov on this blog, a pianist that I consider to be at the very peak of his profession, concert pianist. The perception in the wider music world, outside of Europe at least, is that some other pianist, Yuja Wang or Evgeny Kissin or Lang Lang, is at the pinnacle of the profession. However they are just better known, more widely promoted or more visible in the media. This same phenomenon applies to other instruments and areas as well.

For example, there are a number of violinists who might claim the position of being at the very peak of their profession. I would usually give that spot to Hilary Hahn for quite a few reasons, not least because of her success in commissioning new works and also promoting neglected works like the Schoenberg Violin Concerto. But I am right now listening to someone that makes me think that perhaps she has a serious competitor. Kristóf Baráti is a Hungarian violinist who plays the Bach solo sonatas and partitas as well as I have ever heard them played--and that includes performances by Hilary Hahn. Here, have a listen:

That is spectacular. And musical. And, well, magnificent.

The same likely applies to guitarists. My vote right now would go to Marcin Dylla of Poland:

Actually, that's a twofer: a guitarist at the top of his profession playing music by a composer who might be at the top of hers.

Who would you vote for on the cello? Or voice?