Cameron Carpenter

[arie v]

Hi y'all,

A couple of days ago, Cameron Carpenter along with his International Touring Organ was in town. His gig was at the Flato Markham Theatre, (just north of Toronto) a 520 seat multi-purpose hall. This hall has the acoustics of a tomb. Zero reverb. His concert consisted of equal amounts of talking and supposed music making.

What did I think of it? Well put it this way, I was glad when it was over and went home.

Carpenter's playing had plenty of stop changes, wierd tempos, and lot's of bombast. To me it was more an assault on my senses than music making.

The Marshall & Ogletree touring organ sounded rather odd at times. Wierd sounds accompanied by overwhelming bass simply made the organ hard to listen for any length of time. I suspect that the organ is a plug and play affair, but little time is spent doing voicing. Also a lot of individual tones didnot sound very pipe like. Somehow I expected this M & O organ to sound better than it did. Total lack of ambience didn't help.

I think the crowd numbered around 300. Makes me wonder how he financially manages to do this. He must have a rich benefactor underwriting his organ touring.

I doubt I will go and hear again any time soon.

AV

[Epicurious Maximus]

I don't think Carpenter is from this planet and I don't think he believes he is either. He is a lot more than one-of-a-kind and that space ship that B&O and Thigpen built for him suits him fine. He is the best at what he does but some of us don't know what he's doing or how he's doing it. Its a good thing he sells tickets to his concerts to see and listen to what he does. I bought in to see him at Mechanics Hall here in Worcester, MA. I had to almost wire my mouth shut I was in such awe. I think he's beyond the "best" queue.

[jbird604]

Interesting report, Arie. Thanks for the contribution. Cameron put on a concert and workshop with his touring organ just 30 miles from me a few weeks ago, but I was sick that week with my annual ear infection. I couldn't have heard much if I'd gone. But it sounds like I didn't miss much.

There is a video on youtube of the touring organ being set up in a church in Dallas, I think, where he put on a concert. It appears that the "setup" consisted of nothing more than a long arc of tall speaker cabinets arranged across the front behind the console. All the speakers faced outward, and they even had some odd-looking horn attachments to further narrow the projection. Did not look like the best way to set up an organ, at least not from my experience. As we've often discussed, the tones of an organ ought to "roll around" in the room, bounce off the ceiling and the walls. Throwing it all right in the face of the audience members seems like a terrible idea, and you'd think Cameron and his crew would know better.

Perhaps there is more flash than substance to both that touring organ and the player ;-)

[voet]

Earlier this week rjsilva posted the following link in the thread The Well-Tempered Clavier on organ:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRc-EzKxGWk

CC is playing Bach's "French Suite #5". He ruins an otherwise skillful performance by adding an arpeggio at the end. My reaction to CC's performances that I have heard is that he is a very skillful player, but his playing is very perfunctory. Apparently even Julliard could not penetrate his bravado to teach him to play musically, which is really a shame. Maybe when he gets a bit older he will mature and develop some empathy for the music he plays.

Regarding the speaker arrangement of his M&O, it appears in that video that the speakers are angled upwards. This is really evident at 37 into the video.

[sadatoni]

Having watched some of his videos, I'd have to agree. Mechanically, quite impressive. Musically, not at all.

[beel m]

Having watched some of his videos, I'd have to agree. Mechanically, quite impressive. Musically, not at all.

I sure agree with you about the musicality! Not long ago I heard two video performances of the Bach A-minor (S.543) right in a row (I was to play it last Sunday and had wanted to hear a couple performances by leading musicians first). The first was CC playing a... words fail me... tortured version of it with many altered notes and more stop changes than even Virgil would dream of. Then I heard John Scott play a meticulous, profoundly musical, historically-informed version of it on the T & B gallery organ at St Thomas 5th Avenue. It may be that CC has more raw "technique" than Dr Scott had, although I doubt it, but he wasn't on the same planet in the musicality department, it seems to me.

Bill

[F Kalbrenner]

I suspect what I'm going to is a bit of a conspiracy but as I have talked about before in a previous thread I have this feeling that Cameron may be just playing the wrong instrument.

I just feel that is style of playing may be better suited to electronic music in general rather than the pipe organs. It’s probably unlikely if this is the case but it’s just a conspiracy theory of mine.

[Leisesturm]

I'm just saying ... CC has been doing his CC thing for? A decade now? More? With all due respect, a concert report from a 2018 performance of Mr. Carpenter on his touring organ should be a positive one. Why? Because CC is not an unknown, obscure performer that might take an unwary concert goer by surprise. Who pays to see musicians they don't like? Does that make sense? And 300 people out to an organ recital in 2018 is a sellout crowd. I've been to performances of the late John Scott. If there was a more beloved recent performer than Mr. Scott I'd like to know about them. There were often less than 300 people listening to Scott and these performances were free. The lets dump on Cameron Carpenter thing is getting to be more a reflection of the critics insecurity, jealousy and plain sour grapes than an objective assessment of a unique performer.

[Leisesturm]

I don't think Carpenter is from this planet and I don't think he believes he is either. He is a lot more than one-of-a-kind and that space ship that B&O and Thigpen built for him suits him fine. He is the best at what he does but some of us don't know what he's doing or how he's doing it. Its a good thing he sells tickets to his concerts to see and listen to what he does. I bought in to see him at Mechanics Hall here in Worcester, MA. I had to almost wire my mouth shut I was in such awe. I think he's beyond the "best" queue.

Of all the posts in this thread yours is the only one to 'get it'. But what even you don't seem to fully realize is that Carpenter seems as amazing as he is because he is mostly operating out of context. Anyone who has seen enough skilled theater organists work a crowd and then see Cameron doing his thing on a classical style instrument would realize that Cameron is indeed human. Talented, but still flesh and blood. CC is bringing theater organ technique and work ethic to classical repertoire and the establishment hacks can't handle it. He isn't asking any of us for permission to play organ. He knows that traditional organists hate him and that hasn't made him quit and turn to Interior Decorating as a career. He probably wonders why they spend so much time listening to his performances and then denigrating them. But we aren't his audience. Shocking as it seems there are people who love him and what he does. It just rings hollow all the vitriol. When I truly hate a performance I leave immediately. Not after its all over. I've yet to hear anyone say "I walked out of a CC concert after just 5 minutes". Or even the first ten minutes. No, they torture themselves for an hour or more and go on at length about the PTSD they now suffer and will continue to experience for the rest of their lives. Somehow I think they doth protest o'er much.

[voet]

Leisesturm, I think you are being a bit harsh on people who have shared their opinions of Cameron Carpenter in this thread. I appreciate that he is reaching people who would not otherwise attend an organ concert. I acknowledge that he is presenting a total package that includes his appearance. He is not much different in that regard from other performers, past and present, who have taken a similar approach–Virgil Fox, Diane Bish, Carlo Curley, and for the piano, Liberace.

This an organ forum. The people here don’t need costumes, jewelry, or trendy hair styles, to generate interest in the organ. We already have that interest. Our training has taught us to evaluate every performance critically–what worked and what didn’t. We do that most of all for our own playing.

Any criticism is always offered through the lens of that individual. You may not agree, because you are looking through your own lens. That is as it should be. However, I don’t think it is valid for you to assume that if someone makes a negative comment of a performance it due to their “insecurity, jealousy or plain sour grapes.” Most of us have had years of training to be able to play this instrument. When we perform, we subject ourselves to scrutiny. People will comment and it will not always be positive. A performer must be able to accept that.

[Admin]

Don't count me as a Cameron fan or detractor. His technical ability is supernatural, but he doesn't connect with me on an artistic level. A well-known organist friend of mine suggested that my lack of connection to his playing is a generational thing. Perhaps, but I can assure you it has nothing to do with "insecurity, jealousy or plain sour grapes." and I'm certain the same is true for others.

Mr Carpenter has expressed his opinion on the inadequacies of the pipe organ quite openly and I believe he prefers electronics to pipes. I've only had the opportunity to see him perform live on one occasion and that was on a Rodgers. The organ sounded dreadful and very electronic. I was told after the concert that the organ had been set up and voiced prior to his arrival, but that he re-voiced it to his liking. Whether that was an improvement or not, I cannot say. I still hope to have the opportunity to see him perform on his touring organ, but I don't have any expectations that it will provide a pipe organ simulacrum. I don't think that is either his desire or intent.

Clearly, he has is own vision, and I'm in tune with some of that vision, and while he may very well be unsurpassed as a performer, there are other organists I'd much prefer to listen to.

[Leisesturm]

Don't count me as a Cameron fan or detractor. His technical ability is supernatural, but he doesn't connect with me on an artistic level. A well-known organist friend of mine suggested that my lack of connection to his playing is a generational thing. Perhaps, but I can assure you it has nothing to do with "insecurity, jealousy or plain sour grapes." and I'm certain the same is true for others.

Mr Carpenter has expressed his opinion on the inadequacies of the pipe organ quite openly and I believe he prefers electronics to pipes. I've only had the opportunity to see him perform live on one occasion and that was on a Rodgers. The organ sounded dreadful and very electronic. I was told after the concert that the organ had been set up and voiced prior to his arrival, but that he re-voiced it to his liking. Whether that was an improvement or not, I cannot say. I still hope to have the opportunity to see him perform on his touring organ, but I don't have any expectations that it will provide a pipe organ simulacrum. I don't think that is either his desire or intent.

Clearly, he has is own vision, and I'm in tune with some of that vision, and while he may very well be unsurpassed as a performer, there are other organists I'd much prefer to listen to.

I don't disagree with ANY of this. Not a single word. I too am neither a Cameron fan but neither am I a detractor. That about perfectly sums up my position. After decades of a church music career that has been exclusively on pipe organs, I am about to take over the organist duties at a church with a digital. It doesn't sound remotely pipe like. Rodgers says it does. I disagree, strongly. But, like Carpenter, I'll accept that for the fact that it is: 1.3M/60+ stops vs 2M/24 stops; in tune always; expressive divisionS go from ppp to ff vs expressive division from mf to f; and numerous other digital niceties: melody coupler/bass coupler/ MIDI, etc., etc. There simply is no comparison.

You've got to admit that many of these comments about Carpenter come out of the blue, unsolicited, and they might have had some validity 10 years ago when CC was first shocking the pearl clutchers into revolt. These days there are only two reasons to attend a Carpenter recital: 1. To add grist to the mill and further agitate about Carpenters continued unrepentance and unconventionality, and 2. to be amazed and entertained. Carpenter is the Cirque du Soleil of concert organgoing. If you want to see elephants and trapeze artists in leotards you go to Ringling Bros. If you can't handle trapeze artists in thongs and bodypaint do NOT go to a Cirque performance. You will only be upset by the lack of conventionality. I'm not understanding why people continue to upset themselves with Carpenters antics. I simply am not understanding.

[myorgan]

If you can't handle trapeze artists in thongs and bodypaint do NOT go to a Cirque performance. You will only be upset by the lack of conventionality. I'm not understanding why people continue to upset themselves with Carpenters antics. I simply am not understanding.

I'm not so sure people are upset by Carpenter's antics. I think the general consensus on the thread (so far) is that people don't feel as moved by his performances, compared to those of other concert organists. So far people don't appear to be denigrating his technical facility with the organ, rather what they have experienced when they attend or view his performances.

To continue your analogy to Cirque, I'd liken it to an accident on a major highway. While people are not necessarily involved, they have no choice but to slow down and look at the accident on BOTH sides of the highway.X-( I guess I should just stay home so I don't have to deal with traffic!

For me, I've wondered if his performances aren't better experienced in person rather than online or vicariously, but so far I've not had an opportunity to find out for myself. We missed him in Köln a few years ago when we were there to play for a wedding. Personally, I'll reserve judgment until I hear him in person.

Michael

[F Kalbrenner]

I feel that I have to make a confession but Cameron’s bitterness towards pipes organs is really the soul reason why I don’t like him.


I am someone who has a passion for steam but particularly in Victorian pumping stations and so when I saw a rather cartoon impression of a Calliope in the old point and click game Myst Masterpiece the pipe organ just seemed like the perfect instrument for expressing my love for a mechanical world. But after I found out in October of 2015 that Cameron wanted to make the pipe organ a thing of the past I felt like I just wanted to set fire to my Johannus.
Well didn’t really burn my organ but I did get put off playing it so know it just sits there gathering dust only to be used for an hour each month because I’m still an organist at a local church.


But to me the pipe organ was about so much more than just the sound it made.