When I was a student at Curtis, about 2 years ago, I was page turner for a recital that Gary did in Field recital hall. It's like having the best seat in the house. He played the Mendelssohn 2nd sonata (D major) and it felt like listening to a CD except live. Not one thing was out of place. Perfect and pristine in every way, and also full of life and artistry, there was not ever a dull moment in the music. One of the most inspiring performances I've had the privilege of hearing.
Ages ago, I worked sales in a violin shop. I had the privilege to briefly play on an Amati family cello that was believed to have been made in 1580. I am not religious in any sense of the word, but I felt something indescribable while playing it. Maybe it was just my hyper awareness of its history, my own awe coloring the experience, but I felt surrounded and encompassed, and embraced by the players that had gone before me. I do know one thing for certain. I haven't played quite like that on another cello. More to the point, I didn't feel like I was the one playing it. The cello was playing me.
I had the great privilege of studying with Gary at Indiana University back in 1980 (when he was the youngest faculty member in IU history). I have to admit I was a bit heartbroken when he switched to the Amati since I was completely enamoured with the soulful beauty of his sound on his Vuillaume prior to that and for me that was the "Gary Hoffman sound". For a while it was like hearing someone speak with a different voice -- like a science fiction sort of body transplant. I've come to accept the beauty of the Amati and Gary's assertion that it was the right move, but I can also assert that his sound and expression were equally great before that in a different way!
Gary is such an honest musician. I’ve always admired his playing. I wish the younger generations would stop all the acting when they’re playing. The pained expressions and thrashing around.
Many years ago I turned on the radio and heard a performance of Saint-Saëns' "The Muse and the Poet". I immediately thought, "That is Leonard Rose. No one else sounds like that." It was Gary Hoffman.
Very wonderful and interresting Interview of the Sir!!! He plays very beautiful!!!🎻= à la Cello for him 🎶🙏, all the best for this Cello Sir 🍀.🍀.🍀. Kind regards from a Classical Tenor-Violist-Panpipeflutist from 🇪🇺🇩🇪, to the 🇺🇸 Yours, Josha Blatzheim 🙋♂️
That Cello looks to be unusually large and wide, or is it just a visual illusion? A few years back (10 yrs? 20 yrs?) I scoffed at my brother not wanting me to "get my vibes" on his instrument. Now I am beginning to understand that my instruments do seem to assimilateboth my touch and my personality, conforming to how I use my hands to make the sounds that I like to make. In physics it can be said that "everything is waves". As such, all waves have sympathetic harmonic resonances (and dissonances), just as people have such interactions with the personalities of other people. It is likely that there is a molecular realignment in the wood of the instrument to acquiesce, or conform to the range of waves resulting from how the instrument is played. Each instrument has its own personality and it is a privilege to find an instrument whose personality melds harmoniously with that of the player.
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When I was a student at Curtis, about 2 years ago, I was page turner for a recital that Gary did in Field recital hall. It's like having the best seat in the house. He played the Mendelssohn 2nd sonata (D major) and it felt like listening to a CD except live. Not one thing was out of place. Perfect and pristine in every way, and also full of life and artistry, there was not ever a dull moment in the music. One of the most inspiring performances I've had the privilege of hearing.
Wonderful to hear; I didn’t realize it’s been close to 40 years with the Amati! Hoping for forty more in good health; that would make you 42.
Gary’s the realist cellist I’ve met and heard
Ages ago, I worked sales in a violin shop. I had the privilege to briefly play on an Amati family cello that was believed to have been made in 1580. I am not religious in any sense of the word, but I felt something indescribable while playing it. Maybe it was just my hyper awareness of its history, my own awe coloring the experience, but I felt surrounded and encompassed, and embraced by the players that had gone before me. I do know one thing for certain. I haven't played quite like that on another cello. More to the point, I didn't feel like I was the one playing it. The cello was playing me.
I had the great privilege of studying with Gary at Indiana University back in 1980 (when he was the youngest faculty member in IU history). I have to admit I was a bit heartbroken when he switched to the Amati since I was completely enamoured with the soulful beauty of his sound on his Vuillaume prior to that and for me that was the "Gary Hoffman sound". For a while it was like hearing someone speak with a different voice -- like a science fiction sort of body transplant. I've come to accept the beauty of the Amati and Gary's assertion that it was the right move, but I can also assert that his sound and expression were equally great before that in a different way!
Acoustics are more important than the cello, Rose and Starker I both watched in permanece but couldn’t hear their wonderful instruments.
But that doesn't mean a cardboard box will sound good in Carnegie or Musikverein.
Gary is such an honest musician. I’ve always admired his playing. I wish the younger generations would stop all the acting when they’re playing. The pained expressions and thrashing around.
Mr Hoffman plays on Oliv strings, but I am wondering what A string he is using?
Many years ago I turned on the radio and heard a performance of Saint-Saëns' "The Muse and the Poet". I immediately thought, "That is Leonard Rose. No one else sounds like that." It was Gary Hoffman.
Wow!!
"I'm 39" very funny.
Very wonderful and interresting Interview of the Sir!!!
He plays very beautiful!!!🎻= à la Cello for him 🎶🙏, all the best for this Cello Sir 🍀.🍀.🍀.
Kind regards from a Classical Tenor-Violist-Panpipeflutist from 🇪🇺🇩🇪, to the 🇺🇸
Yours,
Josha Blatzheim 🙋♂️
There's also a famous Russian violist and smoker who's challenging for makers and their retouching skills...
Hmm…does his name rhyme with Yuri Bashmet?
That Cello looks to be unusually large and wide, or is it just a visual illusion?
A few years back (10 yrs? 20 yrs?) I scoffed at my brother not wanting me to "get my vibes" on his instrument.
Now I am beginning to understand that my instruments do seem to assimilateboth my touch and my personality, conforming to how I use my hands to make the sounds that I like to make.
In physics it can be said that "everything is waves".
As such, all waves have sympathetic harmonic resonances (and dissonances), just as people have such interactions with the personalities of other people.
It is likely that there is a molecular realignment in the wood of the instrument to acquiesce, or conform to the range of waves resulting from how the instrument is played.
Each instrument has its own personality and it is a privilege to find an instrument whose personality melds harmoniously with that of the player.
Yes, I love that, “everything is waves”!
Hi Masumi Rstad, You have a nice channel with engaging content. In this video, your conversation was polite and dignified. Your video has been SEOed, but I don't know who did the SEO. While showing the SEO score is good, some fundamental SEO techniques might be missing in your title, description, and tags section. This is why you are slightly behind your competitors. If you'd like, I can elaborate. Thank you and best regards, Rezaul Bari (UA-cam SEO expert)