Klarinet Archive - Posting 001198.txt from 1999/07

From: Note Staff Unlimited <notestaff@-----.de>
Subj: Re: [kl] Rationality [and rant in manners]
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 1999 18:07:51 -0400

LeliaLoban@-----.com schrieb:

> >On Tue, 27 Jul 1999, Bruce Keplinger wrote:
> >> Etiquette exists for a reason -- it's many Americans' general lack of
> >> it that causes the French to dislike American tourists, for instance.
>
> Hope this isn't getting too off-topic, but I'm curious whether music really
> is the universal language or whether musicians experience awkward moments
> when they get together with musicians from cultures other than their own.
> Let's eliminate two big variables by taking as given that Europeans,
> especially Germans, tune higher than North Americans, and that the music
> itself is familiar repertory to everyone involved -- that we're not talking
> about, say, a Western clarinetist sitting in with a Japanese koto ensemble;
> although that's been done (Steve Roach's "Structures from Silence"). But,
> for instance, when clarinet players on this list have taken jobs in foreign
> (to them) bands and orchestras, do they notice differences in the way
> musicians in various counties treat a conductor, a section leader or each
> other? Do southern Europeans set up rehearsal chairs closer together than
> North Americans? Etc..
>
> I'm thinking of the way North Americans often notice that visitors from
> abroad "back us across the room," sometimes literally up against the wall,
> because people in the U.S.A. give each other a great deal more personal space
> than people from southern Europe, Latin America and parts of Asia. That's
> the reason for those dinner table faux pas in France that Bruce mentions,
> when North Americans lean back and talk too loudly by French standards.
> Leaning forward to speak softly across a typical restaurant table places
> North Americans' faces uncomfortably close together. (Friends or business
> colleagues may wonder, as they back off in increasing anxiety while the
> Frenchman or Latin American keeps crowding in relentlessly, closer and
> closer, "What's he doing? Trying to seduce me? Get out of my face!") Are
> there similar cultural differences in specifically musical manners that make
> travelling musicians and their hosts uncomfortable?
>
> Lelia
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Having lived in England and Germany, it's interesting to note the differences in
the distances which people tend to keep between themselves. Never noticed a
difference in chair spacing at rehearsals but on the street - both as pedestrian
and car driver - I still have a problem with the "German mentality". Whereas in
England, if someone just gets near you (not in the underground station for some
reason) they usually apologize but in Germany, if they say anything it's, "Watch
out!".

Differences in rehearsal methods are apparent. In England, I often heard - only
partly in jest, "It'll be alright on the night!" In Germany, there is much less
room for spontaniety.

Before the rehearsal is another interesting cultural difference: The English will
often not even greet each other, which by no means is meant to be unfriendly. The
Germans tend to shake hands. It can often go so far that if you've already met
someone and shook their hand and then you meet some others together with the
first person the other ones shake hands and then the two which met previously
will say to each other, "We already did...." (shook hands). Otherwise everyone
will think they are mad at each other!

The (German-)Swiss are different again, less hand-shaking, more polite but more
reserved.

Are we getting way off topic? I could tie this together with national
characteristics of clarinet playing. Maybe it would be worth it if only to get
Dan Leeson out of lurk mode. Dan, you said you would be getting back to "shake
things up a bit". I enjoyed talking to you on the phone in Elsass the other day.
Hope you got back safe and sound.

David
David Glenn
notestaff@-----.de

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