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Who is the greatest cellist of all time?
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János Starker's musical perfection

Starker believed that much of the performance of music got in the way of the music, like a wide vibrate hiding bad intonation. Starker focused on the music alone.

The Argument

Starker perfected the cello, he brought the instrument's sound, tone, and play to the next level. He was known for being a demanding teacher, and he applied the same elevated expectations to himself. Starker held himself to these high standards, and the results are astounding. At 15, he was the principal cellist in the Budapest orchestra.[1] After an accomplished career, Starker quit performing to start teaching, and his contribution to the upcoming generation of cellists cannot be understated.[2] Starker's unrivaled dedication and contributions to the musical world confirm his status as the best cellist of all time.

Counter arguments

Starker was an excellent teacher, but in his pursuit of perfection some of the creativity and art of the cello was lost. He may have been a great cellist in technical terms, but he was not a great cellist artistically speaking.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Starker's dedication to his musical career and contributions to future musicians make him the best cellist of all time.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1990-10-14-1990287139-story.html
  2. https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2013/04/29/179863431/remembering-janos-starker-the-cellist-born-to-be-a-teacher
This page was last edited on Monday, 14 Sep 2020 at 15:19 UTC