Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Véronique Gens

I feel two ways about Véronique Gens recital at Wigmore Hall on Monday. On the one hand her Gabriel Fauré was exquisite, her Henri Duparc glorious and her Reynaldo Hahn very fine indeed. On the other hand she didn't bother to memorize anything. For me this is insulting. For a performer to use sheetmusic in standard repertoire in her native language is simply incomprehensible.

One wishes to achieve the truly French and Véronique Gens is a good place to start. I like her very much. I only think she should raise her opinion of recitals.

1 comment:

Paul said...

It's equally incomprehensible to me that someone at this level of professionalism would use sheet music beyond the first rehearsal or two. When I was in high school our choir managed to memorize the entire Mozart Requiem one year, and all of Poulenc's "Gloria" the next. I'd be embarrassed for her.