Klarinet Archive - Posting 000618.txt from 2002/09

From: "Trish Mendenhall" <trishm@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] When I said, "I agree, Tony"
Date: Sat, 28 Sep 2002 18:06:27 -0400

Thank you, Mark - that's basically the thought I was just trying to put
into words myself.

There are always going to be extremes - people who believe that no
matter what we should do things in the original way, and those who
believe that tradition should be thrown to the winds, regardless of the
validity of the tradition. Hurrah for extremes - they keep us thinking
and working to understand why we choose the paths we choose by
presenting us with solid arguments for both sides.

My own belief is this: We obviously cannot always play the original
instrumentation for a piece - whether it is that the instrument doesn't
exist or isn't available. In some cases, perhaps it wouldn't even be an
optimal solution to do so - perhaps the modern-instrumented orchestra
would overwhelm the sound of the originally called-for instrument. But
don't carelessly disregard or put aside the original scoring called for
by the composer. You may well be putting aside the subtle differences
which brings the piece to full life.

If we choose to step outside of the bounds of what was called for, it
should be a choice made from knowledge, not merely convenience. We
should do so understanding the historical perspective, the composer's
own words on the subject (when possible), and the nature of the
differences we are introducing. Then it may be possible to mitigate, at
least in part, the differences through technique or equipment, and do
justice to the intent.

Trish

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Charette [mailto:charette@-----.org]
Subject: RE: [kl] When I said, "I agree, Tony"

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.

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