Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: John Williams Tuba Concerto


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Posted by Jim Andrada on July 18, 2002 at 01:14:51:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: John Williams Tuba Concerto posted by ahem on July 17, 2002 at 22:08:03:

Let me hasten to apologize if I gave the wrong impression - I am not merely "impressed" but "amazed" by Yo Yo Ma's virtuosity. And by the virtuosity of Sheridan, Bobo, Pilafian, et al.

All of these fine people deserve nothing but the highest praise for their hard work and dedication to their art.

I think from the context it should be quite clear that my lack of "impressed-ness" was, in my OPINION due to my BELIEF/FEELING/WHATEVER that he had in some way "moved on" in a musical direction that I don't find appealing - and thus MY PERCEPTION of his musicality was diminished.

As Rick Denney cogently said, choices about what to play, what to put on a CD, etc are MUSICAL choices and thus "fair game" for people's OPINIONS of musicality.

I think that some folks among us are IN MY OPINION missing the point.

Which is, simply put, that technique and musicality are different and that I THINK we as listeners and tuba operators (players, virtuosi, whatever) tend to be impressed by technique and to confuse it with musicality and by so doing are in many ways falling into the trap of always asking what instrument was used or standing in awe of someone's ability to play a c sharp seventeen octaves above the capability of a bat to perceive or their ability to sustain a pedal C flat for sixteen measures at FFF while simultaneously whistling "Dixie" through the mouthpiece in c flat minor and belching in tempo.

Why do we (note I said WE - this includes ME)always comment upon quantifiable skills, amazing as they may be, and so seldom comment on how the performance was "moving" or "so appropriate to the character of the piece", or "opened our eyes to hitherto un-noticed subtleties of phrasing".

Maybe (beware of OPINION and CONJECTURE) it's because somehow in our hearts we think that if only we understand the "secrets" of technique, we too can do what "they" can do.

Don't WE (includes ME) do our (includes MY) heroes a dis-service by focusing on their technical achievements instead of engaging in spirited discussion of their musical achievements? Subjective as this might be!


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