Klarinet Archive - Posting 000424.txt from 2002/09

From: Janet McNaught <mcnaught@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] "tooting your own horn"
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 18:25:44 -0400

Nancy -

Your comments on Bear's music are the first that would make me even slightly
interested in trying out his compositions. I'm afraid that I have little
interest in reading screeds of self promotion and hype.

Bear is very good at telling us about his compositions in great detail. I am
not well enough educated in musicology to know if his statements are fact or
hype, so I discount all of it. I am not in the target audience for all of
that information, and I have no way of assessing the credibility of the claims
made. As I don't understand the language used, I delete Bear's messages
without reading them..

I do understand Nancy's comments - that she played the music, that she enjoyed
playing it, and the audience seemed to enjoy listening to it. However, I
would not even think about playing a new composition if I thought that it
might encourage or even invite correspondence with the composer that I would
not understand.

As a contrast, I have the example of a new composition that my clarinet choir
premiered this spring. David Trainer, an Australian composer, posted a
question asking if anyone with a clarinet choir would be interested in play
testing a new work. I answered that we would, and if we could play the piece
(and the implicit comment was If we enjoyed playing the piece), then we would
perform it in concert. The music arrived via e-mail, we tried it out, we
had a few questions about interpretation, we made some changes that were
approved by the composer, and we performed the world premiere.

At no point did we ask, or were we told any of the composer's grand ideas
about music. We did not ask, nor were we told what anyone else thought of the
composer's music. At one point, half in jest, I asked David what "style" of
music he writes, and he told us neo-romantic something or other - I can't
remember the term used, nor did it matter in the least. And we enjoyed a
very pleasant correspondence with the composer about learning to play the work
and about our performance.

My point is, most of the information that Bear is writing to the list is not
at all relevant to me, would not convince me to try to play any of his pieces,
and in fact I would hesitate to offer to try his compositions, as I would be
apprehensive about the volume of hype (explanation that I don't understand)
that I would be subjected to. I am afraid that it would not be a pleasant
experience. So, in my case, the information that Bear sends to the list is a
disincentive, and does nothing to enhance his reputation as a composer in my
mind.

And to help put these comments in context, I use the same "philosophy" in my
real job, which is working a professional art dealer and consultant. I don't
hype paintings to sell them, nor do I tell the potential buyers the artist's
philosophy of painting and place in the art firmament. I do find out if the
buyer likes the painting, and if it will suit their home or office. It really
can be that simple and enjoyable.

Janet McNaught

"Buckman, Nancy" wrote:

> My point is that I am willing to tolerate the advertising and it's mode in
> exchange for the opportunity to try his music. ;?)
>
> Nancy
>
> Nancy E. Buckman, Technical Assistant
> School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
> Anne Arundel Community College
> Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
> Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
> E-mail nebuckman@-----.edu

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