Klarinet Archive - Posting 000291.txt from 1994/11

From: Dawn Anthes <danthes@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Contemporary orchestral music
Date: Mon, 21 Nov 1994 12:14:46 -0500

Perhaps in the future parts for contemporary orchestral pieces will not
take as long to prepare because the players will have gotten used to the
style. At this point in time most players are more comfortable playing
Brahms and Beethoven- even if they've never done the piece before because
they have some idea what it will sound like. Perhaps if we had heard this
very contemporary music for all our lives then it would not be so foriegn.
Maybe the concept of continually changing odd meter should be
incorporated into beginner books.
I definitely agree that more contemporary music needs to be given a
voice. It can't find its way into the repetoire if no one ever hears it.
As an art form orchestral music is in danger of becoming stagnant, I
believe. The major orchestras often keep churning out the same music year
after year. Mr.Leeson has a very valid point however when he points out
that orchestras do this for economic reasons rather than musical ones. A
professional orchestra is a buisness and many of its actions are dictated
by economic rather than artistic motives, unfortunately.
Considering this, a good medium for such contemporary works would be
college orchestras. Granted the quality of playing may not be quite up to
the standards of the Chicago Symphony but there are many exellent college
orchestras out there that could give a new work a fair playing. Any college
orchestra conductor worth their salt would not only want to give thier
students a thorough grounding in the "classics" but also in newer works
that incorporate new techniques and complex rythm. (BTW I do NOT mean
to imply that the more classical works are by any means easy, just more
familliar.) Exposure to such unorthodox music may even in fact make these
students better players and give them an edge musically in the future.
Well, I've droned on long enough.
Happy practicing.

Dawn M. Anthes email:danthes@-----.edu
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* Bass Clarinetist *
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