Klarinet Archive - Posting 000687.txt from 1999/03

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Sabine Meyer's Stamitz
Date: Fri, 12 Mar 1999 02:51:46 -0500

> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.67
> Subj: RE: [kl] Sabine Meyer's Stamitz

> It doesn't help that having your own style is discouraged. Anytime I play
> for a teacher or for competition, if I play it the way the other person
> wouldn't, they tell me to go listen to a CD.
>
> Chris

Chris, this is where you have to have iron balls. The matter of
performance practice and style issues is not very well developed
in todays clarinet world. While our educational system turns out
magnificently fluid performers, we do not turn out players who
understand or have studied style issues. And that may be the state
of the people who are telling you to go listen to a CD.

When told that, you have to be prepared to be polite and rip out
the throat of the person who suggested that. But nicely or s/he
will become angry and think you are unworthy.

It is not enough to want to do it differently. You have to be
very well prepared to go over why you want to do it in a certain way.
It is not enough to be an iconoclast. You have to be a very well
educated iconoclast.

>
> At 13:52 3/11/99 , you wrote:
> >> From: MX%"klarinet@-----.48
> >> Subj: RE: [kl] Sabine Meyer's Stamitz
> >
> >> It's already happening. Early 20th C. style was very different from today
> >> and there are individuals that are investigating that style!
> >>
> >> As an aside, the development of recorded sound has resulted in a great
> >> decrease in performance variation. A certain sameness has crept into the
> >> interpretation of music. So one day, there may not be a different style to
> >> investigate. Our loss.
> >
> >Very, very observant point. In my own case I find this so true that I
> >no longer buy recordings of 18th century solo clarinet music because
> >every performance has the character of every other performance. Outside
> >of sound character, there is little to distinguish Sabine Meyer's
> >performance of K. 622 from that of Frank Cohen's. And in the case of
> >players as great as these, even sound character is difficult to
> >identify absolutely. While both performer's execute that work with
> >equal facility, the thing that should permit each artist to create an
> >absolutly unique performance has been eliminated from 20th century
> >playing habits. So to me, they all sound the same. And it is equally
> >true in live performances of this epoch's music, too.
> >
> >In effect, I suggest that the fragile character of music generally
> >referred to as "classical" (meaning a rough time period) has been
> >poorly treated by contemporary players and has been poorly treated
> >since about 1840.
> >
> >
> >
> >>
> >> Steve
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Kate Alexander [mailto:blanerne@-----.au]
> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 5:49 PM
> >> To: klarinet@-----.org
> >> Subject: Re: [kl] Sabine Meyer's Stamitz
> >>
> >>
> >> and yet in 100 years time SABINEs performance will be the correct
> >> performance style of today .... so will performers be discussing how to
> >> correctly play HIP of the 20th century???
> >> Vivace
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> >>
> >=======================================
> >Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
> >leeson@-----.edu
> >=======================================
> >
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>
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=======================================
Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
leeson@-----.edu
=======================================

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