Klarinet Archive - Posting 000803.txt from 2000/11

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Interpreting versus playing
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2000 20:24:07 -0500

On Sat, 25 Nov 2000 16:58:31 -0800, vsofan@-----.com said:

> What you have written confuses me. To me, David's words mean that
> perhaps he is distracted when musicians move around too much. I don't
> know. The message I'd internalize is that they are showing or showing
> off how deeply moved they are by the music. Nevertheless, I am
> distracted by this, too.

David has to speak for himself, probably. I didn't think he was talking
about movement.

What I understood by what he said was that sometimes, players play in a
way that isn't related to the music as it's going on just before, and
then during, what they have to play. It's as though they've already
*decided* what 'their' contribution will be -- and that makes what they
do stick out.

As an aside, it's important to see that this doesn't mean that 'sticking
out' is wrong in itself. It may sometimes, though rarely, be just
what's required at a particular moment. Then the thing that sticks out
is an event that the listener hears not as the act of an indulgent
performer, but as a 'surprise' in the context of what was happening at
the time. Something like that may be very effective.

But usually that requires the attentive collaboration of colleagues, and
I know that I need to be playing with very good players to follow my
instincts when the context seems to demand that I do something very
unexpected. Because then what I have to rely on is my colleagues'
ability to change what happens afterwards, and make me right,
retrospectively.

> But I am more confused by your (seeming) contention that playing
> extremely quietly is somehow showing off.

No, playing extremely quietly is only showing off when it *is* showing
off. It all depends on the context.

You can appreciate this much more easily if you think of what happens in
normal conversation. Someone may speak intimately to you, and you hear
them as sincerely telling you something that they don't want others to
overhear. But sometimes, the whole situation doesn't ring true, and
their whispering seems 'put on', and just an act.

A similar thing can occur in music.

> I don't think so, but I'm guessing that you've had the experience of
> feeling that someone is showing off and the method used to deliver it
> was playing too quietly. Would you please elaborate on this? How
> does one actually show (in face or body) that the extreme quiet
> passage is really saying 'look how wonderful or superior I am'?

For example, I know a saxophonist who can play really quietly. But
sometimes when he does that, I want to ask, why? Because the music
doesn't demand it, and there's no particular reason, other than that he
wants to impress everyone. And, somehow, we're sensitive to that sort
of thing, so that you don't need to know the piece to pick up that what
he's doing isn't *real*.

But, you're right, there are passages in many works where a
super-pianissimo has an amazing dramatic effect.

> It seems to me that either the music *is* easy and one looks relaxed
> or the music is dastardly difficult and one sees or senses the
> performer's tension.

Occasionally one has to create the sense of tension even when the actual
execution is not so difficult. To choose a simple example, the leaps in
bars 2 and 4 of the clarinet part of Brahms op 120 #1 in F minor are no
real problem for an experienced player. Yet, it helps the music to
create a tension in those leaps.

On the other hand, if you play the Francaix concerto, there are many
passages that lie badly for the instrument. Some of those passages
should have tension, some should sound relaxed and elegant. You have to
represent both, independently of the technical demands.

> I am not suggesting performers never 'mug it up'. But playing *too*
> quietly? Perhaps I don't understand because when someone plays
> extremely quietly it moves me deeply.

Then, you've been fortunate in your performers, I'd say!

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

... The colder the X-ray table, the more of your body is required on it.

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