Klarinet Archive - Posting 000198.txt from 1996/04

From: Nate Burk <nathan@-----.COM>
Subj: Interpretation
Date: Mon, 8 Apr 1996 15:44:52 -0400

I agree with the several people who have said that playing a piece without
understanding the period it came from is bad form. I don't think it's
*always* true, however, that people do this because they have big egos. I
think often times people are too lazy to learn the correct way to play
something and they label the blind music that comes out, their
"interpretation." By no means do I think these musicians should do this, but
I can understand where they're coming from. I'm a young player who's eager
to play lots of good music at this point, without worrying about period,
composers, et cetera.

Here's what I do, to kind of compromise -- and let me know what you think:

When I start to play a piece, I listen to a few recordings by distinguished
performers, who I know will be playing the piece fairly correctly. And, out
of these recordings, I'd choose what I like, what I dislike, and what I want
to add of my own. Obviously when I get a little older I'll be required to do
more thinking for myself, but for now this method seems to work for me.

I wonder how other people feel about this, because I suppose you could
accuse me of "stealing" from other performers. Clarinet playing is not my
entire life, though, and I don't see how it would be possible to reasearch
every individual piece I'd like to play. I think, for people in the same
position, listening to *good* recordings is the key to success.

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