Klarinet Archive - Posting 000062.txt from 1994/07

From: edgar pearlstein <e_p@-----.EDU>
Subj: Playing as an artist or historian
Date: Mon, 4 Jul 1994 21:26:54 -0400

I guess I need to elaborate. I certainly had no intention of
saying "either/or" with regard to artist and historian. (I wish
now that I had used the word "musicologist", rather than
"historian".) Many fine artists are well-schooled in the
musicology of their specialty, and will do a lot of book-work as
part of their preparation for a performance.
I do think that if an artist wants to do the best possible job
in an artistic sense, then he or she will use the best tools
available. I don't think people expect to hear, say, Mozart
played with valveless horns and with the relatively crude
clarinets of his day, using wood mouthpieces and home-made reeds.
That is unless they are mostly interested in an academic
experience.
I should remark that I have heard two dixieland clarinet
players who used Albert-system instruments. And they weren't
old-timers.
As a musician I'm a rank amateur, so anyone looking for
"authoritative" opinions on music shouldn't look to me.