Klarinet Archive - Posting 001371.txt from 1998/03

From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Uncooperative Musicians and Definitions--Reply
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 18:37:56 -0500

Sarah Beth -

Your reply on this subject was much more mature and professional than the
comments by the person who un-professionally suggested that if you only
played clarinet, you were not a "musician", just a clarinetist. The
ability to play all the instruments in the orchestra does not necessarily
make one a musician. The criteria is one making "music" or are they just
playing notes - without feeling, understanding or emotion?

Well said, Sarah Beth.

The Old Conservative,

Gene

----------
> From: Sarah B. Horney <benevolent1@-----.com>
> To: klarinet@-----.us
> Subject: Uncooperative Musicians and Definitions
> Date: Sunday, March 29, 1998 10:16 AM
>
> Ryan,
>
> >I am of the opinion, however, that because they are accompanying ME, the
> >conductor will think that I am responsible for their bad playing. As
> was said in a >previous post: "A second player can make or break a
> first"... Am I in the wrong >for taking them aside and pressuring them
> learn their part?
>
> Though I don't believe that you are responsible for the bad playing on
> the part of this particular person (they are responsible for that
> themselves, and only they can remedy that, by practicing. You can only
> push this process along by encouraging s/he do so) you were right in
> taking them aside. This is a problem that is not only present in the
> organization that you are involved in, but almost prevalent in many high
> schools. I think that the ability to play an accompanying part (or
> second or third clarinet in a band) musically comes with the mature
> musician. It takes maturity to understand that even if you are playing a
> part that is not the most important line to at that time you need to play
> it well. All the things that make a musical performance: paying
> attention to dynamics, balance, etc., are made or broken in the harmony
> parts. This person is much more important that they realize.
>
> >2) Several collegues (sp?) of mine and I were discussing the
> >difference between a musician and a clarinetist. I am of the belief
> that a TRUE
> >musician is able to do anything with any instrument or musical device,
> while
> >a clarinetist plays only the clarinet. While musicians can also be
> clarinetists, the >converse is not true. Clarinetists can be very
> musical, etc... but not musicians... >This is just my opinion and I am
> sure that it will change with time. I would just like > to know some of
> your views on the differences between musicians and >clarinetists (or
> players of any one instrument).
>
> I must take up issue with your view. In my opinion musicianship has less
> to do with technical proficiency on a particular instrument and more to
> do with emotion. Anyone can learn an instrument if they have practice
> time and the drive to perfect technique. A musician can take a piece and
> convey a feeling to anyone who may be listening, whether it be a wall or
> a group of a couple thousand people. I guess that would make the person
> who can appreciate the emotion in an imperfect performance and put it
> above a technically flawless one without emotion is a true music
> appreciator.
>
> A musician should be playing because it gives them joy to do so. A
> musician is someone who takes his/her talent and uses it to bring
> happiness to others. The simple song can be played with emotion, whether
> it be sorrow, elation, or something in between, by a true musician.
>
> I know that I am just a high school student, and your query stated that
> you wanted professionals' opinions, but I just couldn't resist. I thank
> you, however, for posing a question that gave us all an opportunity to
> examine our ideas about musicians. It is a term whose meaning is not a
> simple as looking in a dictionary.
>
>
>
> Sarah Beth
> benevolent1@-----.com
> ICQ UIN 6585512