Klarinet Archive - Posting 000281.txt from 1995/12

From: "Scott D. Morrow" <SDM@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: "New York" exit
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 1995 11:03:30 -0500

> Therefore, even though I believe that what the orchestra did was
>extremely rude and unprofessional, I can understand(but not accept) their
>actions. Again, in music just as in football, only the few who understand
>music to a certain profound level can really appreciate the opera as a
>whole. Why do you think that even though people like James Levine and
>Riccardo Muti are a thousand times the musician Pavoratti will ever be, but
>Muti or Levine will never be the household name that Pavoratti is. I can
>only imagine how frustrating a orchestra would feel if they played their
>hearts out and all that the audience cares about was how wonderful the who
>played Salome sounded(just keeping with the Strauss references that have
>been consistent in this thread).
>
>Bob Yoon

I believe (maybe naively) that we play in orchestras because we
KNOW we are indispensable, NOT because we expect the AUDIENCE to know! In
the theatre and in an orchestra, we are all a part of creating an
conspiratory (real word?!) illusion for the audience: we each contribute
our talents to create an effect that could not be accomplished by one
person alone, and which (hopefully) leaves the audience in awe! When we
realize that this is what we are doing, we can feel the satisfaction that
we have succeeded even when the audience isn't applauding for us,
personally. YES, the conductor gets the applause; but where would the
conductor be without the musicians? (that's why the conductor wants to
acknowledge the orchestra, which is what I think started this thread in the
first place!). If an intrumentalist feels slighted because there aren't
that many orchestra groupies, that person is playing for the wrong reason!
I have to go water my pavarotti now (no, I guess it really DOESN'T
work as a household word! But that's a muti point!)

-Scott

Scott D. Morrow
(410)-955-3631

SDM@-----.edu