Klarinet Archive - Posting 000617.txt from 2002/09

From: "Mark Charette" <charette@-----.org>
Subj: RE: [kl] When I said, "I agree, Tony"
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 17:40:29 -0400

From: Anne Lenoir [mailto:AnneLenoir@-----.net]
I respect all of
the people involved in these arguments, but I'm getting tired of it.
Nobody can stop anybody else from playing anything they want, whether
it's "correct" or "incorrect" or the "right" or "wrong" instrument.
------
I, for one, think these arguments are just barely getting off the ground and
are a lot more interesting than the mouthpiece, ligature, or reed "de jour"
postings. Rational and well-reasoned arguments are instructive to me, not
only musically but in helping me in the formulation of similar points in my
"day job".

The point has never been to be an instrumental "policeman", standing in the
back of the concert hall shout "Stop - that person is not following the
correct procedure and, egad, has an instrument in the wrong key!"; but
rather to consider what and why we're doing particular things. We may be
jumping to conclusions or following "tradition" blindly, not knowing
anything of historical perspective.

Some people may not care a whit about the history of music and whether we're
performing it as a composer has intended; I do. I may not follow the
composer's instructions, but at least I'll do so out of knowledge rather
than ignorance.

Mark C.

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