Klarinet Archive - Posting 000461.txt from 2002/03

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Bliss' playing
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 16:59:17 -0500

I heard perhaps 5 minutes of Bliss playing the Baermann Adagio and it
was extremely impressive, more from the point of view of his musical
maturity than from his clarinet playing which was very good. But a
functioning musical intellect of that depth at that age is particularly
rare.

Kids generally don't have it until well after puberty. They are
interested in flash and spit, not nuance. But this kid, Bliss, has an
extraordinary amount of musical depth. Let's hope that those who guard
such a treasure will nurture it.

Someone else said, with respect to child prodigies, that a lot depends
on the parents, and I think that is very true. If you get a stage
mother involved in the act, it doesn't matter how talented the kid is,
he or she is going down the tubes.

I knew Michael Rabin and I also knew his mother. I'm surprised he
remained functional as long as he did.
--
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** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
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