David Hurwitz (music critic)

David Hurwitz is a classical music writer, record reviewer, and percussionist.^[1] He has written reviews for High Fidelity, Fanfare Magazine, the website Classics Today (as founder and Executive Editor), and Amazon.com. Hurwitz has written several books designed to acquaint the casual listener with classical music, including Beethoven or Bust: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Listening to Great Music. He has also written in Amadeus Press's "Unlocking the Masters" series, which includes books on specific composers, such as Exploring Haydn: A Listener's Guide to Music's Boldest Innovator.^[2] as well as other composers including Dvorák, Mozart and more; and, "Owner's Manuals" to some of their works, such as the symphonies of Mahler, Shostakovich, and Sibelius. Hurwitz resides in the neighborhood of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York.^[1][3] His most recent books include studies of Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh Symphonies, and the Brahms symphonies.

Style

Hurwitz wrote a four-part study of the historical use of vibrato in the string sections of orchestras, claiming that conductors who eliminate "continuous vibrato" in pre-1940 music (especially Roger Norrington) are using biased scholarship to support a personal, unmusical preference. Hurwitz has been especially critical of Norrington's Mahler and Tchiakovsky recordings, calling the conductor's live version of the Ninth Symphony "stupid,"^[4] and saying of his recording of Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, "Pathétique," "Party record alert! This stupfyingly dull record is appalling."^[5] He used the booklet of a recording of Nicholas Maw's Violin Concerto criticize the music itself, by quoting entire passages and adding his own comments.^[6] Other examples are his editorials in Classics Today such as "2010: Preview of Upcoming Releases" and "Classical Music's Ten Dirtiest Secrets." In the former, Hurwitz satirizes many things, such as famous American composer John Adams' opera Nixon in China, joking that Nonesuch will release a recording of his new opera "Obama in Copenhagen," and saying that "John Adams' new opera, premiering in San Francisco in April, returns to his 'Nixon in China' roots, while further ratifying his relentless determination to make art out of current events as speedily as possible."^[7] In the latter, he challenges publicly accepted repertoire such as Mozart, Bach, and Liszt, saying, "Mozart really does all sound the same," "It’s a good thing that 'only' about 200 Bach cantatas survive," and "Liszt is trash."^[8] However, he has also made favorable reviews of some of John Adams' music,^[9] and written multiple books on Mozart. Also, he has made positive reviews of Norrington's Beethoven recordings with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra^[10]. Despite this, in a relatively favorable review of Norrington's recording of Beethoven's Third and Fourth Symphonies he did call the ensemble Norrington founded and recorded a complete Beethoven Symphony cycle with, the London Classical Players, the "London Classical Fakers."^[11]

Books

• Hurwitz, David (1992). Beethoven or bust: a practical guide to understanding and listening to great music. New York: Anchor Books. ISBN 0385420544. 
• Hurwitz, David (2004). The Mahler symphonies: an owner's manual (Volume 2 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574670999. http://books.google.com/books?id=yQopYkXaMyYC. 
• Hurwitz, David (2005). Getting the most out of Mozart: the instrumental works (Volume 3 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574670964. http://books.google.com/books?id=drA81iLeryAC. 
• Hurwitz, David (2005). Getting the most out of Mozart: the vocal works (Volume 4 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574671065. http://books.google.com/books?id=zyTMjDttbdkC. 
• Hurwitz, David (2005). Dvořák: romantic music's most versatile genius (Volume 5 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574671073. http://books.google.com/books?id=qSSSuUs77RYC. 
• Hurwitz, David (2005). Exploring Haydn: a listener's guide to music's boldest innovator (Volume 6 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574671162. http://books.google.com/books?id=GM8KFGnD5iMC. 
• Hurwitz, David (2006). Shostakovich symphonies and concertos: an owner's manual (Volume 9 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574671316. http://books.google.com/books?id=Vp3AAKooaa8C. 
• Hurwitz, David (2007). Sibelius: the orchestral works : an owner's manual (Volume 12 of the "Unlocking the masters" series). Pompton Plains, NJ: Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1574671316. http://books.google.com/books?id=bLGZT6FjPrsC. 
• Hurwitz, David (2008). Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh symphonies: a closer look. New York: Continuum. ISBN 0826429440. 
• Hurwitz, David (2009). Brahms' symphonies: a closer look. New York: Continuum. ISBN 082643164X. 

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Filipski, Kevin (2005-03-26). "HEAR THIS". The Brooklyn Paper. http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/28/13/28_13mahler.html. Retrieved 2010-02-26. 
2. ^ Hurwitz (2005)
3. ^ Hurwitz (2007), back cover
4. ^ Hurwitz, D. Roger Norrington's Stupid Mahler 9th Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
5. ^ Hurwitz, D. Review of Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique," Wagner: Parsifal Suite (arr. Leinsdorf) Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
6. ^ Hurwitz, D. Review of Nicholas Maw: Violin Concerto Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
7. ^ Hurwitz, D (2009). 2010: Preview of Upcoming Releases Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
8. ^ Hurwitz, D. Classical Music's Ten Dirtiest Secrets Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
9. ^ Hurwitz, D. Review of John Adams: Shaker Loops; The Wound Dresser; Short Ride in a Fast Machine; Berceuse élégiaque Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
10. ^ Hurwitz, D. Review of Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6 Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
11. ^ Hurwitz, D. Review of Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 4 Classics Today. Retrieved 2011-04-03.

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