Klarinet Archive - Posting 000919.txt from 1999/09
From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] re Gary's letter about Dan Leeson
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 1999 20:15:47 -0400
Gary@-----.com wrote:
> Audrey,
> Dan Leeson is one of the world's leading scholars of Mozart's wind music.
> He knows very well who Gregory Smith is. He also enjoys throwing gasoline
> on the fire once in a while. This is nothing out of the ordinary for the
> klarinet list.
>
> Leeson is worth seeing in action if you ever have a chance. My son and I
> enjoyed his presentation on the Mozart Requiem a few months ago.
>
> Gary
> Las Vegas, NV
>
> Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
> 09/25/99 06:15 PM
> Please respond to klarinet
>
>
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> cc:
> Subject: [kl] re Gregory Smith's reply to Dan Leeson
> > By the way, your inflammatory use in discourse of the words or
> > phrases "prejudiced", "biased", "closed minded", and even "having no
> > knowledge base about the subject" doesn't really trouble me.....it's
> your
> > disclaimer that it is just business, not personal. In my opinion this is
> > intellectually dishonest - you're trying to have it both ways. It
> doesn't
> > seem to me to be a very constructive way of carrying on discussion.
> Perhaps
> > others disagree.
> > Also,
> > coming from a scholar, I'm suprised that speculations and conclusions
> about
> > my own knowledge and practice of improvisation would themselves be
> > unscholarly.
> >
> > Gregory Smith
> >
>
> It's a shame, Mr. Leeson, that you made assumptions without first
> checking them with Mr. Smith before attacking him in an open forum
> before his peers. As I'm sure you know, Gregory Smith sits second chair
> in the Chicago Symphony, and is therefore due some respect. Mr. Smith
> (and others who sit as principal or second in a major symphony
> orchestra) did not reach that level of quality playing without excellent
> training, dedication to learning and a continued search for depth,
> beauty and meaning in what he/she plays. There is no need to be berate
> and insult anyone to make your own viewpoint clear, let alone a musician
> of his calibre. Differences of opinion are healthy, but can be aired
> with mutual respect. Perhaps the phrase "Did you really intend to
> say...?" might be helpful next time.
>
> Gregory Smith's reply (especially the two paragraphs quoted above) were
> admirably restrained.
>
> Audrey Travis
Dear Gary,
Thank you for your letter. I do realize from all Dan Leeson's postings since
I joined in on the forum that he is a respected scholar, and I had already
assumed that he knows who Greg Smith is. I would be pleased to attend a
concert or lecture of his if I ever have the chance.
My comment about Greg's position were made to suggest that there is a better,
gentler, more effective way to say "I disagree with you" than to use insult.
I did notice, by the way, that in Greg's reply to Dan (the one which came
after my posting), he signed his posting "Gregory Smith, Clarinetist, Chicago
Symphony Orchestra. None of his postings previous to mine or after were
signed in this way. I wonder why he did this? Only Greg knows. I
appreciate you telling me that Dan likes "to throw gasoline on the fire"
every once in a while, and that this is nothing new for the klarinet list,
but for me, that doesn't excuse it.
An exchange between musicians of any calibre, indeed between people in any
walk of life seals a lot more bonds of respect and friendship when carried
out with a predisposition to respect for your partner in discourse. It takes
only a tiny bit more thought and effort to clarify someone else's point of
view before perhaps embarassing a respected colleague.
Thanks for your input, Gary.
Audrey Travis
Dear Gary,
Thank you for your letter. I do realize from all Dan Leeson's postings since
I joined in on the forum that he is a respected scholar, and I had already
assumed that he knows who Greg Smith is. I would be pleased to attend a
concert or lecture of his if I ever have the chance.
My comment about Greg's position were made to suggest that there is a better,
gentler, more effective way to say "I disagree with you" than to use insult.
I did notice, by the way, that in Greg's reply to Dan (the one which came
after my posting), he signed his posting "Gregory Smith, Clarinetist, Chicago
Symphony Orchestra. None of his postings previous to mine or after were
signed in this way. I wonder why he did this? Only Greg knows. I
appreciate you telling me that Dan likes "to throw gasoline on the fire"
every once in a while, and that this is nothing new for the klarinet list,
but for me, that doesn't excuse it.
An exchange between musicians of any calibre, indeed between people in any
walk of life seals a lot more bonds of respect and friendship when carried
out with a predisposition to respect for your partner in discourse. It takes
only a tiny bit more thought and effort to clarify someone else's point of
view before perhaps embarassing a respected colleague.
Thanks for your input, Gary.
Audrey Travis
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