Klarinet Archive - Posting 000846.txt from 1997/05

From: "R Tennenbaum" <rtenn@-----.com>
Subj: Some stupid questions?
Date: Fri, 30 May 1997 09:24:33 -0400

Herewith, in the philosophical interest of disproving the vastly-held
tenet that "there are no stupid questions," a survey of some
candidates, with exceptions noted:

==>Why did you ask that question?
Well, not a stupid question, IMHO, but if you ask it you run the risk
of being accused (by all manner of decent folk) of being snide,
uptight, pretentious, mean, and curmudgeonly. Occasionally raised by
some Klarinetists -- not so much because we feel we all should
approach the Klarinet list as responsible adults and youths and that
those of us who are novices or amateurs should try not to tax the
patience of the wonderful, helpful, thoughtful professionals and
pedagogues who along with the Klarinet administrators make this such
a great place -- but because there are some questions whose answers
are better found "out there" than "in here." This IS NOT to say that
elementary questions are stupid, no one said they were. Nuff said.

==>Did you search the Klarinet archives or the composer database in
Sneezy?
A brilliant question, one each and every one of us should ask before
we post.

==>Do you have a quarter?
Not necessarily a stupid question, but not likely to do much for your
image.

@-----.
An intolerably stupid question. If you managed to sign on here you
got a clear, concise "FAQ" containing all you need to know about the
mechanics of subscribing and unsubscribing to Klarinet.

==>Why do you not have Buddha in your life?
Likelier than not, a rhetorical question. Unanswerable to the
questioner's satisfaction in any case: "Because He eats too much?"
"My cat is allergic to Buddhas." Thus, apparently calculated to
exasperate those of whom it is asked, or to make them feel wanting.
Hence not smart at best.

==>How do I get to Carnegie Hall?
A good question. But a stupid one, unless you're after the answer
that involves the R train. The other answer's not quite as surefire,
believe me.

==>If you see Joanie's kitten can you give her a BIG BIG HUG for me?
I will, but can you give me a quarter?

==>If we accept that the composer's intention as regarding the proper
key/tonality of the transposing instrument directed in the score as
gospel -- which seems just enough -- then should we not accept that
scores by composers who wrote for German clarinets should be played
on like instruments, since those instruments produce a different
sound? Similarly, if clarinets have changed in the last 200 years,
and we're after the composer's intentions, shouldn't we be playing
reed-up?
A stupid question? I don't know, -- you tell me (Dan L.?)

Rafe T.
readme@-----.com/~rtenn

   
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