Violin virtuoso Shlomo Mintz

[rpolitsr]

October 7 2005 11:00 am
The highly regarded violin virtuoso Shlomo Mintz with his instrument, a Guarnieri del Gesù, almost as famous as himself in the last rehearsal for this night concert in Quito.

http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/ShlomoMintz4444_thumb.jpg (http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/ShlomoMintz4444.jpg)
Click the image to see it bigger (http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/ShlomoMintz4444.jpg)

He will perform the Johannes Brahms concerto in D major opus 77 for violin and orchestra with our National Symphony Orchestra directed by Álvaro Manzano.
It is an extraordinary event for a relatively small city as Quito and a curious note for the people interested in classical music.

[DwightMcCann]

An interesting image from an interesting angle of interesting things!

[PetKal]

An interesting shot and a sort of a document as well;

However, there is one not insignificant omission in it. Classical violinists make music with their bow hand, the left hand is just for stopping notes. One thus must not blur the bow hand....blur everything else but the bow hand, even in "presto" spiccato passages and such.

May be it's the exposure, maybe it is the darn Photoshop, but that violin colouring does not resemble the Del Gesu (style) varnish. Then again, it might not have been a Del Gesu.

Your apparent appreciation of fine music should be a reliable guide for these kind of shots.

[DwightMcCann]

I like the bow hand blurred! To suggest this as a rule is like suggesting that the ball in football should never blur, even during a header or pass ... an interesting opinion but hardly a rule! With most classical musicians I find the facial expressions to be much more essential ... it is as though you can see into their souls. As for the color temperature, I don't think this is a "product" image ... the lighting may well have been warm. Sorry to be so contrary, Petkal, but other than being too small for my eyes I find this image very appealing.

[PetKal]

Well Dwight, I guess I must have spent much more time learning to play the fiddle then playing with cameras......so to an amateur fiddler and a violin affecionado in me it is in the hand which holds the bow where the soul of violin music making is. Facial expressions, while often "entertaining", are seldom important and in fact often get in the way (in front) of the music.

This is not the place to discuss the subject too much, but when you get a chance take a look at facial expressions of perhaps the greates violinist ever, Heifetz. On all the photos of Heifetz fiddling I have seen, there is only one expression which is totally "expressionless".

As an example, if I had to watch Yo Yo Ma 's grimmaces while playing his cello, my enjoyment of his huge artistry would be severely diminished.

The Strad Magazine (UK) usually carries sensational photos of players in performance as well as instruments themselves.

[rpolitsr]

Thank you for your comments.
I like all kinds of music, but I am far from being an expert.
As I said, it was a rehearsal; the light was flat, yellowish (2800°K) and dim. I shot my Pro1 at ISO 400 1/60 sec. f 3.5 and it was still 1 f stop underexposed. I kept my 420EX flash off to not disturb the performers.

I got the blurred hand because of the shutter speed, but I liked it. I have other pictures with a non blurred hand at either side of the bow swing.

The official program of the theater confirms that the violin was a Guarneri del Gesù owned by Mr. Mintz. My pictures do not show well neither the sides nor the back of the violin, but we saw the stripped wood of the sides, the v shaped textures of the back and the lighter color below the left hand that, as I read, are characteristics if this famous violins.

If it is of some help, you can see here the same picture (http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/ShlomoMintz4444_d.jpg) and another picture (http://sites.google.com/site/rpolitsr/r_polit/varios/onthenet/ShlomoMintz4438_a.jpg) with different white balance and slightly corrected exposure.

[BottomBracket]

Great pic, rpol! I find it interesting that you were able to shoot this in close proximity. Did you shoot from the wings of the theater, or was this a more intimate room?

Petkal, I would love to see Yo Yo Ma live - his grimaces included. For me it adds a new dimension to the music, in a positive way. Seeing them concentrate and strain just adds to my appreciation. Of course, I'd rather watch Ofra Harnoy work the cello instead of Ma :)

[T.O.]

Nice capture. I don't see the right hand as a problem here, although Petkal's comments are interesting. But since flash was not an option it is very well done already, you have a steady hand...
thanx for sharing,
T.O.

[rpolitsr]

Thank you T.O.
I think the worst thing in the pictures was the level of noise, but it is the price of using ISO 400 and low light. I am glad that all the posts around this pictures are interesting.

BottomBracket
The Orchestra was in the main stage (escenario) and I had access to palco #13 and palco #15 at left near the stage if you want to check the seat assignments plan (http://www.teatrosucre.com/planos/palcosn1.asp) of our National Theater.
It is a small Theater. With the Zoom at 200mm and some cropping I got enough proximity.