BEFORE OFFERING CRITICISM, ASK “WHY DO I CRITICISE?” I still don’t like Rachmaninoff’s music, but now I really admire the man. Until a few days ago, I had never heard about the withering criticism he encountered during his career. Most of us would not have attempted to enter the competitive arena that he chose for his life. Even if in our dreams, we fantasize that we are made of “the right stuff” and that we can handle the harshest criticism, what Rachmaninoff endured is a lesson in life. First, what the critics of Rachmaninoff’s First Symphony said after the premier in 1897 was harsh, but none more harsh than composer and critic, César Cui, “who likened it to a depiction of the ten plagues of Egypt, suggesting it would be admired by the ‘inmates’ of a music conservatory in hell.” It is said that Rachmaninoff became deeply depressed and wrote nothing for several years, until an influential person threw him a lifeline and hired him as an assistant conductor. It appears that Rachmaninoff considered it beneath what he had planned for his career, but he needed the money. In the new role he flourished. Second, in early 1900 Rachmaninoff, responding to an invitation to perform for Leo Tolstoy, played a new piece that Rachmaninoff had composed. By this point, Tolstoy was a world renowned literary figure. Rachmaninoff’s piece was based on the opening measures of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Tolstoy, instead of offering a measured criticism and encouraging the young composer to consider different inspirations in the future, spoke to Rachmaninoff in the hashest of tones. Tolstoy asked, Is such music needed by anyone? I must tell you how I dislike it all. Beethoven is nonsense, Pushkin and Lermontov also. The story continues that Tolstoy offered a weak personal apology later, but it was Rachmaninoff who responded with the more measured and politic response. Tolstoy was anything but the great man that evening. In both the cases, two men who had established themselves as leaders in their fields, Cui and Tolstoy, acted beneath themselves. Does it matter that Rachmaninoff later became famous? Makes him a good example that people will take seriously, but it should not matter. One can offer criticism without withering the other person’s aspirations. One does not need to admire what a person produces to admire the person’s character; and to admire a person’s character to like what the person produces. (Taken from Wikipedia’s entry concerning the life of Rachmaninoff)
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:35:09 +0000