Klarinet Archive - Posting 000787.txt from 2000/11

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] Interpreting versus playing
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 12:05:05 -0500

<><> Stephanie Davis wrote:
When I create a piece of prose, I want people to interpret it the way I
see it.

Stephanie, you've described most succinctly what bothers me.
Thank you for posting this. I'm not a 'flamer', and so I hope this
doesn't offend you; but who owns my mind and my feelings? Me or you?

If we were talking about you employing me (paying me) to perform
your work, then I would have an obligation to you, or at least I would
if I wanted you to hire me again. If your income depended on how I
represented your work to other audiences (and if your copyright hadn't
expired), then I would have a similar obligation to you. Ditto if I
could somehow prevent others from obtaining a copy of your work in its
original form. Notice the distinction here: you aren't supplying me
with a performance. You are asking me to do the performance and to
judge you on the basis of my own performance.

However we're not talking about the business aspects here, are we?
If we are, then I misinterpreted your post.
The feelings and responses and behaviors that your composition
(music or prose) generate inside me.... well, if they were exactly the
same as yours, would you want to 'talk' to me in the first place? Do
you want a mouthpiece or an audience? Do you want to inspire me to do
things with your work after I've performed it to myself, or do you want
a parrot?
If you want a parrot rather than a sincere and genuine response,
then you wold need to pay me; and frankly, I'm not looking for that sort
of employment right now.
I would say the same thing to Mr. Stravinsky if he were here right
now.

Cheers,
Bill

---------------------------------------------------------------------
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