Monday, June 10, 2013

Is YouTube Destroying Music?

Pianist Chastises Smart Phone Recordist
KrystianZimerman_6-7-13Pianist Krystian Zimerman declared from the stage that YouTube was "destroying music," according to reports from his June 3rd concert at the Ruhr Piano Festival in Essen, Germany.

His comment was prompted by a smart phone user Zimerman had spotted during his performance. The offender was recording. "Would you please stop that?," the pianist asked while still at the keyboard.

The Guardian reports that the 56-year-old pianist continued to play but soon left the stage, "evidently agitated." When he returned he told the audience he had lost out on recording contracts because, the business folk told him,  his performances were already on YouTube.

He finished the concert but refused to play an encore, despite the enthusiastic reception. He also canceled a post-concert reception.