Klarinet Archive - Posting 000468.txt from 1999/01

From: Neil Leupold <consult@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Kenny G Concert Review
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 18:37:06 -0500

------ @-----.029FE600

On 1/11/99, Jim Reed wrote:

>> After all, how many people really are that creative, innovative and
>> willing to starve for an adolescent or infantile idealism? Is it smart
>> to be a starving artist or not to make a decent living if we can? I
>> just don't think so.

I don't see it as a matter of intelligence. Those who achieve financial
success by bona fide artistic means are a combination of -- to various
degrees -- very lucky, extremely hard working, and extremely persis-
tent. Genuine talent is a factor as well, of course. Nobody starts out
on top, but some are able to get there faster than others, and the ma-
jority of us never glimpse it in our lifetimes. Whether or not somebody
persists as a starving artist is more influenced by that single person's
perspective -- his/her level of tolerance for circumstances of prolonged
deficit and need. If a person has few external resources upon which
to draw for basic daily sustenance, this is not sufficient to deter some-
body from choosing to continue their effort toward artistic success.
Only when it becomes more difficult for that particular artist to suffer
than to change will he change. It has nothing to do with intelligence or
common sense. It has to do with an innate and dynamic personality
trait (subject to growth and adjustment over time) which predetermines
the point at which the prospect of success is no longer worth the com-
mensurate sacrifices. If the passion and commitment are infinite, an
artist can spend his/her entire life in pursuit of recognition and financial
success without ever achieving either. He could have a genius I.Q.and
still die trying to survive by purely artistic means. And he might be
perfectly happy with that fate.

I also don't see idealism about art as necessarily infantile or adolescent.
There are harsh realities in life, to be sure, but sometimes doggedly adhereing
to one's ideals -- square in the face of such realities -- results in precisely the
type of success which was sought all along. It is at the very last moment,
just when you are about to give up, that the light breaks through the clouds
and shines upon you -- if only you will hold out just a little longer...

Neil

And, as to how people earn a living, damn it
folks, Kenny G or Pete Fountain, etc. are not selling drugs to our
children nor passing on AIDS to them, etc. Why in hell do successful
people often have to be derrided and demonized to make some of us feel
less insecure about our own lives and the choices/compromises we've
made? I guess it all boils down to a lot of sophmoric,
pseudo-intellectializations, huh?

Thanks, and feel free to flame me to your hearts content because I just
don't see the sense in being a suffering or starving artist nor is there
much sense in trying to be God (perfect, infallible, pure, chaste,
etc.).

Jim Reed

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org

------ @-----.029FE600

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org
------ @-----.029FE600--