Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner An idle thought

Being of a meditative disposition I find that the issue raised by Fuoco, Brendan and Kreisler in the thread concerning psychological abuse is giving me much food for thought. Brendan and Kreisler are dead right as usual, of course, and professionalism in anything requires a good deal more than dilettantic enjoyment. And yet, there is a nagging underlying conviction I have that monetary systems ought not to hold too much sway over the creative musical impulse. I feel music is more closely interwoven with why we are here than with any arbitrary quantifier. I would not have put it quite as baldly as Fuoco did, but his post nonetheless demands that we ask ourselves why on earth we are engaged, each of us in our own way, in this supremely difficult and at times agonizing symbiosis with a wooden box and bits of wire.

To couch it another way, if the world we live in ever reaches a societal state free from competitive materialism and monetary systems, would the musical impulse cease to exist ? I don’t think any of us would seriously entertain that notion. Whether music is born of angst or serenity depends on personality, on whether you are a Wagner or a Milhaud. But leaving aside that part of it, Fuoco is surely right in that there has to be a pretty fundamental drive toward ecstasy in all of us to make us carry on like this about piano music. After all, as Wilde said, it’s all absolutely useless isn’t it ?

Don't let me put words in either Kreisler or Brendan's mouths, but I interpreted their posts differently.

I read "professional" as a state of mind in approaching music, and not music as a means to achieving a monetary end.

Kreisler responded to you posting "music should be for enjoyment alone" - sorry for the paraphrase, and please correct any mischaracterization on my part - by saying "try doing that as a professional" - again I'm paraphrasing.

What I took his meaning to be was not "yeah, I'm in it for the money, and who cares if I like it or not." I don't believe there are many people in classical music who have this attitude.

I think being a professional musician can be similar to being in any profession that you love. Overall you love what you do, but that doesn't mean you love it all the time. Most of the time someone might find being a professional pianist/teacher rewarding, educational, interesting, etc. That doesn't mean that when Kriesler has to play the accompaniment to "Bride of the Waves" ten times at the National Euphonium Festival, he has to necessarily enjoy every minute of it.

I agree that monetary considerations should not have a lot to do with creative impulse. On the other hand, it has throughout history.

Sure. That's the visible tip of the iceberg. Anybody who loves music as something beyond a pleasant distraction, knows about the rest of the iceberg, though.

And without the rest of the iceberg -- there would be no tip.

I don't believe monetary considerations motivate professionalism in any discipline. Professionalism is a function of self-respect -- whether anyone is paying a living wage for it or not, whether the market is good or not, whether fashion favours it at the moment or not.

Yep, Phlebas has a good interpretation of my comment.

Those of us who do music professionally DO love and enjoy what we do. But like anything else, 100% enjoyment is just not possible.

But I take the bad with the good willingly, because in music, the good is worth it.

Ted, excellent post, enjoyed reading your thoughts!

Ted wrote:

Fuoco is surely right in that there has to be a pretty fundamental drive toward ecstasy in all of us to make us carry on like this about piano music. After all, as Wilde said, it's all absolutely useless isn't it ?

Agreed, that there is a fundamental drive -- too infrequently acknowledged by most -- toward ecstasy.

Wilde was wrong!!!

First, one comes to realize that "Time, the All-Destroyer, comes and nothing is left" as one of the greats put it. [This so far agrees with Wilde.]

This situation is what motivated religions ... is there a way out of the seemingly true conclusion that nothing is left, or that everything is useless?

All of the long-lasting religions found a way out -- the same conclusion has been reached by all explorers in this field.

There IS something which survives the death of the body. The things of this world are ultimately useful, but only in relation to this Something which does not die at bodily death.

That brings us back to ecstasy, which the Great Teachers have proclaimed to be our NATURAL state of consciousness ... OURS BY RIGHT! So of course we all have this drive toward ecstasy ... like a pilgrim who wants so dearly to return home.

not an idle thought at all, ted! it's a thought that takes a lot of mental energy to fully explore. it's a question i have been asking myself--and other amateur and professional pianists--a lot, lately.

i wonder if each person reading this thread could post and try to answer this question. it would make very interesting reading, i think!

just what is it about the piano that you find so compelling? why have you made the sacrifices you have made to be able to play it?

(and i do think there are always sacrifices involved, even if for you it is a pure pleasure. buying and keeping a piano is expensive and so are lessons and music. and it takes time away from other pursuits or perhaps a more lucrative career...)

i have been trying to answer this question for myself. i'm not sure i have the answer. perhaps other people's reasons might spark some greater self-understanding in me.

(Deleted old post. After reading Brendan's post below, I realized that some things I wrote in the deleted post do not show enough respect to the many serious professional musicians here. )

Ted, I just wanted to say that you have excellent taste in literature. That preface to Dorian Gray is a very poignant assessment of art and the artist; I've read it so many times and it always amazes me. Then again, it's so subtly sarcastic and I have to wonder if it's all tongue-in-cheek.

Back on topic...

Music is a very difficult profession, and one that isn't really taken seriously by non-musicians. When people ask me what I do, it would be easier to say "I work in marketing" or "I'm a computer programmer" instead of "I play the piano." The frequent response is a smile and a look of pity or saying something along the lines of "that's very noble." Art is not a profitable endeavor; it never has been, and that's precisely why artists have relied on patronage (all the way back to the 14th century with church musicians, through the classical era with Haydn and the Esterhazy estate, and today with corporate sponsorship). I believe that it's the same issue with being a writer or an actor (don't have much know-how about either of those professions); security is a sacrifice that all musicians have to make at the beginning of their careers and sometimes throughout their whole lives (case in point, freelance pianists).

However, the issue of being paid is unfortunately maligned. I am rendering a service to someone who wants me to accompany their child; I say what I charge, and people are usually agreeable. Those who aren't don't take music seriously for their child or don't take it seriously as a profession, and that is an obstacle to overcome (and in my experience tends to come more from affluent families than ones with less money). These people simply don't understand that some of us have to pay for all of our expenses - health insurance, self-employment taxes, etc. I treat my gigs very professionally because they are my bread and butter at the moment. There's no difference between being ten minutes later for a rehearsal and being ten minutes late for a day job.

Ultimately, the issue boils down to letting people know that pianist and musicians are professionals who render services. Not everyone understands this, which is why it is very important to always be upfront with the people you work with. It's not always fun or enjoyable to play a Suzuki recital, but if you treat it like it's nothing special, you are making yourself look bad and the phone will never ring.

axtremus,
i saw what you posted before you deleted it, and it was in no way disrespectful of brendan or any other serious musician. it is your reality and your life. and that is just as valid and interesting as anyone else's.

please, if you have a copy of what you wrote, would you put it back? i would like to be able to read it again in the context of what others post here in future.

thanks.

There are two main things - and some minor things - that compell me to continue to play the piano:
1) I love music. In fact, I love it so much that I can't be content with just listening to it. There is a big difference between listeining to music you love and the physical and intellectual act of playing it. Not to mention the satisfaction of learning music, solving musical problems, taking a piece you don't know and making it yours.

2) I'm attracted to music and the piano because it requires physical skill and pushes my mental abilities to the extreme. I find a lot of enlightenment from overcoming pianistic obstacles, whatever they are, in a way that's comparable to something Zen like, but not exactly the same. It may sound a bit silly, but everytime I reach a new level (or sub-level) it's like I've discovered a new enlightenment.

Brendan,

Your post reminded me of when I was at the age when a lot of my friends were getting married. An amazing amount of them wanted me to play at their weddings, and wanted me to do it out of the goodness of my heart. There were a couple weddings of people I really liked, where I agreed to this, but for the most I would rather not have been the cheap help at a wedding.

I couldn't believe that there were actually musicians who asked me to do this.

Isn't it fascinating that this drive toward ecstasy is best served by serious intent and conscious discipline over time -- the opposite of the state being sought, yet the surest way to get there.

Maybe there's something in this that harmonises the whole personality on some deep, formative level. Then there's no need to return home; for an instant, we're already there, always were there; never left.

For me it not just the piano but music in general. I tried hiding from it for close to 15 years believing that listening to and reading about music could pacify an inner fire I have about music. I was mistaken.

It could be ecstasy or it could be just responding to an inner voice or even vocation. In any case, I often refer to it as my acoustic Tai Chi as it is an endeavour that encompasses my whole being.

Two ecstatic musicians:

A raptus!

Greetings Pique!

Your great question about why we spend our time on piano is so encompassing, would you consider moving it to a new thread? Kinda buried here.

Axtremus, I too read your original post and found it interesting, worthwhile and in no way offensive to professionals

- - - - -
To answer Pique's question ...

I spend time playing the piano because hearing certain pieces were a sort of epiphany or awakening for me ... I wanted then to be able to play the pieces myself. Pieces such as the Myra Hess arrangement of Bach's Jesu and the Schumann-Liszt Dedication.

Some music is just so beautiful, compelling and magnetically alluring that my laziness would be overcome, the hours of practicing would be done, and Lo! one day those pieces would spring from my fingers. What joy!!

Also, I feel a strong need to express myself and my inner condition; playing the piano partly fulfills this need.

I also like to play for friends, to temporarily lift them (and me) out of this mundane realm. The power of music, that it can accomplish this!!

And, unfortunately, there is a bit of ego and exhibitionism in me that gets a fix out of playing.