Klarinet Archive - Posting 001276.txt from 1998/03

From: Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: This business of instrumental substitution
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 17:39:50 -0500

Scott Morrow wrote:

> When I was at Drexel University, I played in the Colonial Ensemble, a
>wind ensemble that played music which was popular in America during the
>Colonial and Early Federalist periods.
(a lot snipped here)
>.... at what point do we cross the
>line between helping the composer's work get out to the public and
>bastardizing the music?

I've never forgotten a Capitol Hill party years ago where four musicians
from the Marine Band played a baroque string quartet on two trumpets,
trombone and tuba. I think Mozart, who was a practical joker and wrote
quite a bit of hey-ma-lookit-me music, would have enjoyed it as much as I did.

Music can be many things, including more fun than anything else you can do
with clothes on. God save us from always approaching it with a tense,
hushed and reverent attitude.

Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.net>