Klarinet Archive - Posting 000694.txt from 1997/07

From: "R Tennenbaum" <rtenn@-----.com>
Subj: Re: aching hands
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 1997 23:43:59 -0400

Jacqueline Eastwood wrote:

>This is what happened to my *spousal equivalent* -- he spent his entire
>high school life (outside of school) practicing snare drum in the
>basement, emerging only for food. When he went to college, he couldn't
>handle the many pressures and demands on him; he ended up getting burned
>out and eventually stopped playing altogether. Only in the past four or
>five years has he gotten back into serious playing -- but he's always
>complaining that he was "so much better" in high school, and that since he
>doesn't have eight hours a day for practicing, that he's never going to
>get anywhere.
>
>I always disagree with him (!) -- maybe he *thought* he was better then,
>because he hadn't developed his ear to be as picky as he is now. And, as
>we have often discussed on the list, it doesn't necessarily require 8
>hours a day of practice. You have to work within the parameters of what
>you *can* do. If you work full-time, your practice time is necessarily
>limited! (Of course, *I'm* the one doing the cooking, laundry, dishes,
>etc. as well! When am I supposed to practice? I guess that's a whole
>different argument....)

One of my closest high school friends grew up more or less chained to
the piano. He had more raw musical talent than anyone else I knew
our age, and I can't imagine anyone having a better ear. I think at
the time he felt privileged in a way to be singled out in such a way,
and was pleased that his parents made sure that he would internalize
these regimens of discipline.

Twenty years later, my friend is a professional composer, and a
damned fine one -- writes for commercials and suchlike, and gets
pretty well-paid for it. But he doesn't listen to classical music
anymore, and I do not believe I'm out of line for suggesting that a
sort of delayed resentment played a part in this. I suppose there's
an element of wistfulness in my feelings about this, since I used to
enjoy talking and listening to music with him. But I do sometimes
wish that he hadn't been brought up to think of music as *that much*
of a means to an end, because I think there are shades of enjoyment
he's incapable of feeling.

Rafe T.
http://www.quicklink.com/~rtenn