which cellist is best, playing The Swan by Saint-Saens?

[CTyankee]

Tell us why and thanks!

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I will use this piece for a slide show of the works of late 19th century artists.

[Me.]

1. Tough Call

but I give the edge to Hauser.

[CTyankee]

2. Yeah, I know. Hauser has a string section with harp and Ma has a pianist.

The slide show is a series of late 19th century mostly French art, late Impressionism, so the lush sound of Hauser works for that. However, there is a sweetness to Ma's simplicity. Hmmm...

[Me.]

3. I Also Thought HIs Version

Last edited Sun Oct 16, 2022, 09:54 PM - Edit history (1)

was a tad softer, bit more emotional

[CTyankee]

5. Hauser is always making faces at the audience when he plays...

[Me.]

10. Did Not Know THat

Didn't watch, just listened

[canuckledragger]

4. I prefer these 2 celloists playing The Trooper by Iron Maiden!

[CTyankee]

6. OMG...

[Donkees]

7. The Yo-Yo Ma version wouldn't be competing with the art, while the Hauser version

has some level of distracting background sounds, and ends with applause noise.

[CTyankee]

11. My computer guy, who has done 2 of my slide shows, lets me decide when to cut the music...

which I had to do with my second slide show...just before the applause starts. So that is not a consideration here. Does the string section/harp interfere or enhance the art the viewer sees and hears...
it is tricky, you have to cut just as the celllist's bow stops vibrating the last string (which you can see as well as hear).

[Donkees]

14. The main distraction is the gaspy breathy noises I'm guessing the cellist is making

[Conjuay]

8. I think this is stoopid

Each brings to their art their personal feel and emotion. Music is NOT a BETTER THAN THOU exercise.

[CTyankee]

12. I agree. It is a matter of which version serves the art images being shown. They are both

acknowledged masters, unquestionably.

[Jack the Greater]

9. You get more cello sound with Ma, cello is more prominent and vibrant

Could be the acoustics and recording equipment.

[CTyankee]

13. I also considered a live recording of Mahler's Adagietto for Strings and Harp but it was ruined by

a cough from the audience immediately before the baton moved in the conductor's hand. It's a gorgeous piece and ordinarily I wouldn't care if I were in the audience. Ahhhh....