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Joined: Nov 2009
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My wife and I have running comedy in our daily discourse about "most people." "Well, most people [this]," or "most people [that].".... I think we might have you beat. Have you ever discoursed on what "most" means? We have!  I won't say yet what we each said, or how it got resolved. OK, I'll tell how it got resolved: it didn't.  Even though we even asked other people for their opinion too. What does "most" mean?
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Joined: Jan 2003
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sorry about the astonishing comment i made.. no offense please. i have a professor friend who uses it at every opportunity. he made me say that.
accompanist/organist.. a non-MTNA teacher to a few
love and peace, Õun (apple in Estonian)
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sorry about the astonishing comment i made..... I don't think you need to apologize. I think most of the time when someone says "astonishing," a kick in the rear is in order for one reason or another. BTW, I say it a fair amount.
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Joined: Oct 2011
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sorry about the astonishing comment i made..... I don't think you need to apologize. I think most of the time when someone says "astonishing," a kick in the rear is in order for one reason or another. BTW, I say it a fair amount. Some folks might feel excessive use of deserves a kick in the rear. But I've also heard people describe somebody as having the kind of a face that they just feel like punching. Takes all kinds, I guess.
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Joined: Sep 2009
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I have a feeling that the elite professional pianists aren't playing for "most people." I have a feeling that elite amateurs and the aforementioned "pro-lets" aren't playing for "most people," either. At that level, their audience is elite, knowledgeable music lovers (critics and appreciators) with deep respect for tradition, the intricacies of composition, and the fine points of technique. Maybe so, but that makes the business of music essentially self-serving: a small group of people making music for each other. Which is fine, so long as that small group of people is self-supporting. But when musicians complain about, for example, cuts to public funding, questions about wider appeal surely have to be asked.
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Joined: Nov 2009
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sorry about the astonishing comment i made..... I don't think you need to apologize. I think most of the time when someone says "astonishing," a kick in the rear is in order for one reason or another. BTW, I say it a fair amount. Some folks might feel excessive use of deserves a kick in the rear...
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Joined: May 2005
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I have a feeling that the elite professional pianists aren't playing for "most people." I have a feeling that elite amateurs and the aforementioned "pro-lets" aren't playing for "most people," either. At that level, their audience is elite, knowledgeable music lovers (critics and appreciators) with deep respect for tradition, the intricacies of composition, and the fine points of technique. Maybe so, but that makes the business of music essentially self-serving: a small group of people making music for each other. Which is fine, so long as that small group of people is self-supporting. But when musicians complain about, for example, cuts to public funding, questions about wider appeal surely have to be asked. Actually, the cuts to public funding probably have more to do with the belief by many politicians that the arts should be self supporting and/or that government support of the arts simply isn't a priority compared to more basic needs, particularly during difficult economic times. There are, of course, valid arguments to counteract this - but not all of the "decision makers" are willing to listen to them - unless there is an "outcry" from the public or pressure from those who contribute significantly to their political campaigns.
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Joined: Oct 2010
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But I wonder if most people could really tell the difference? As a person whose best time for marathon is about five hours -- and that was twenty-odd years ago -- I have immense admiration for those people who can run it it 2'24 or even 3 hours. From where I stand, there's really no practical difference between being able to run a marathon in 2'24 or being the world champ. Both are, in my view, enormously impressive.
Same with the piano. Maybe if I were the sort of person who spent every waking minute in front of the keys, then I would be able to understand the difference between the best pianists in the world and the merely very good. But I'm not sure I can, and I'm not sure that all that many other folks can either.
There is, however, one problem with your marathon analogy -- what is required to be the best marathon runner in the world is well defined -- you can figure it out with a clock. There's a lot more subjectivity in music. Although I'm never going to be a great marathon runner, I know what would move me in that general direction. But with music, I don't know, because the people who think they do know what makes a great pianist are unable to articulate it to the likes of me. Whether that's my failing or theirs, I'm unsure.
As one who sacrified a great deal (I managed to put in a few painful 70+ mile weeks, and dropped my weight by 8lb to 132 lb) just to get my marathon time below 3 1/2 hours after 3 failed attempts - I actually posted a PR of 3 hr 21 min, which I never attained again - I can understand the difference between a pro and an amateur runner. I only had to do that for a few months, but a pro would have to train like that (in fact, a lot more - 120-150 miles/wk) year-round, every year. Someone also said that a professional pianist 'practises in order to avoid playing wrong notes, while an amateur practises in order to reduce the number of wrong notes'. I've given a few recitals and lecture-recitals (for free or for charity only) but never one which was totally blemish-free, but I was banking on the fact that my audience wouldn't know the music anyway, or if they did, wouldn't mind.......
If music be the food of love, play on!
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Joined: Apr 2005
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Well, I recorded a "simple" piece last night! Should I allow the vultures to pick at it?
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Well, I recorded a "simple" piece last night! Should I allow the vultures to pick at it? Well anyway we say yes: ![[Linked Image]](http://images.nymag.com/images/2/daily/2009/02/20090226_vultures_560x375.jpg)
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Thanks. I knew you'd follow through.  Maybe I'll post it on my Facebook page tonight. I want a shot at rerecording a more permanent version over the next week. I have seen (heard) a few things in my playing that I need to change. The piece is "The Girl." I haven't seen many professional takes on this simple gem available on youtube. I wonder why.
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What "Girl"? (Am I 'out of it'?)
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Joined: May 2001
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What "Girl"? (Am I 'out of it'?) "La fille aux cheveux de lin," I'm assuming. (Debussy: Preludes, I, viii) Regards,
BruceD
- - - - -
Estonia 190
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What "Girl"? (Am I 'out of it'?) "La fille aux cheveux de lin," I'm assuming. (Debussy: Preludes, I, viii) Thank you! I assumed he meant some pop song.
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Bruce assumes correctly! Actually, I have the video here so it'll be posted shortly. There are some "issues" that I will iron out soon and I will rerecord it. The danger of playing something "old" is that you discover how much you have, ah ....., let certain little things stretch or change in ways that aren't always in the score. On the other hand, that's not always a complete no no in Debussy. My youngest plays Debussy's Syrinx on the flute. If you play that piece exactly as it's written, the piece sounds truly terrible. No flutist worth his/her salt would conceive of playing it that way. And here is the little video: La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin P.S. You need Flash Player
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P*D: With the disclaimer that I don't know from Debussy ..... I think it's excellent. BTW, also you look good while you play -- I mean your physical approach to the keyboard and the piano. And it's a nice room too. 
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You don't play much Debussy? Really? I wonder why, or in this case why not?
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You don't play much Debussy? Really? I wonder why, or in this case why not? Same reason I don't play Rachmaninoff: "too many notes." Too mushy. I much prefer Ravel. Why don't I play much Ravel either? Probably because I can't.
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P*D: With the disclaimer that I don't know from Debussy ..... I think it's excellent. BTW, also you look good while you play -- I mean your physical approach to the keyboard and the piano. And it's a nice room too. I also think its excellent !!!! And I agree with Mark's other observations !!!! So good to finally hear you play !!!!
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Joined: Dec 2009
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You don't play much Debussy? Really? I wonder why, or in this case why not? Same reason I don't play Rachmaninoff: "too many notes." Too mushy. I much prefer Ravel. Why don't I play much Ravel either? Probably because I can't. Hahaha! Seriously, too many notes with Debussy? Rach, I can understand (and agree), but there are far more notes with Ravel than Debussy.
"And if we look at the works of J.S. Bach — a benevolent god to which all musicians should offer a prayer to defend themselves against mediocrity... -Debussy
"It's ok if you disagree with me. I can't force you to be right."
♪ ≠$
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