Klarinet Archive - Posting 000933.txt from 2000/12

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] Performance [was, Peplowski continued]
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 00:21:18 -0500

<><> Anne wrote:
If I felt that creativity was reserved strictly for an elite class of
intellectual musicians, then I think I would be most disappointed

Three cheers !!!

As the context changes, so do the constraints. Improvising a
entire melody is a no-no in some circumstances but a hooray!-hooray! in
other circumstances. However, no matter which 'creative' context you
are discussing, there absolutely has to be room to make the music your
own. Otherwise (imo) it's not really music. Music (imo) has to be
for the performer first.

Part of what Bateson proposed (I think) is similar to my idea of
consensus. If you had a hand in forging consensus, then you created
something. If you were a dictator and imposed it, then you may have
'created', but without what Bateson called 'grace'.
If you offer something to other people who are listening and if you
adjust it as you play, and if you feel that they understand what you are
feeling and vice versa, and if you decide that you like what you are
feeling, and therefore you accept it and take it inside of yourself,
then it _has_ become your own (as well as everyone else's). You have
created something.
By this definition, if you found something wonderful while
operating within very tight constraints, this speaks even better for
your achievement.
This type of 'creation' may be different from creating the entire
melody by yourself, but it is certainly a creative act. When done
properly, it gets you standing ovations, as well as making you feel
good.

....but what's the bottom line? The bottom line is that, tonight,
I'm sitting at my computer devising a second track for a melody that I
wrote myself, rather than practising scales and learning to 'play
right'. I know I'll never be on a stage or in a pit, but I'm having
fun with music and therefore I am a musician.

Cheers,
Bill

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