Klarinet Archive - Posting 000810.txt from 2000/05

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: [kl] The weekend class
Date: Wed, 17 May 2000 18:02:06 -0400

I quite like this story. I don't know its origin.

There was a famous violin professor, who liked to hold weekend court at
his country house every couple of months or so with all his students.
They would play chamber music together, and do recitals, study, and
learn more about his approach to the violin.

One such weekend, the professor called them all together. "You know,"
he said, "I've been watching you all over the past weeks, and I've
noticed something that disturbs me. You *obsess* too much about the
violin.

"Music," he went on, "or, the best music at least, speaks of many things
-- and we must experience these things in order to bring them to life in
our playing.

"For example, music reflects all the splendour of Nature. Look around
you here: the ever changing moods of the countryside; sun, rain, mist;
then all the variety of the woods and the fields; and flowers, animals
and birds -- all available to you right here in these wonderful grounds.

"Yet which of you spends time outside on these weekends? You are all
always indoors discussing bowings and fingerings!

"And how about drama? Music is very often drama. The great plays have
much to teach us. Shakespeare; Goethe! Yet I see none of you at the
theatre.

"Or books. Books? You're far too busy with your scales! But there is
a whole world in our literature; a world that we must use, that we need
to experience in order to enrich our performances. Yet I never see any
of you reading!!"

At which point, a student put up her hand timidly.

"Please, maestro -- *I* read!"

"Oh, *you*!" snorted the professor. "You should practise more!"

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE www.gmn.com/artists/welcome.asp
tel/fax 01865 553339

... If you really want to know, you won't ask me.

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