Klarinet Archive - Posting 001016.txt from 2002/11

From: Tom.Henson@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Another GMN discovery
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 22:05:51 -0500

I also think that if it were known why Sergei began playing transcriptions
one would have a better perspective as to his motives.

After reading his biography on his website and on the various cd's of his,
and also a couple of interviews it was because this true child prodigy had
mastered all of the known and accepted trumpet repertoire by the age of
around fourteen that he grew frustrated by the lack of material. He simply
became bored in a sense and was not being challenged musically so as to
grow.

His father who is also his mentor and teacher is the one that has approached
the up to now frowned upon use of transcriptions in actual classical
performances. His father is also the one who writes them for his son.

Sergei then stunned the trumpet world by being one of the first, if not the
first, to not only play transcriptions, but ghast, on a fluegal horn.

If it is possible Dan that you could find a way to listen with your heart
and not your mind, I believe you would discover that they can be quite
enjoyable, if not downright beautiful.

I understand exactly where you are coming from as my wife is quite similar
in the way that she "hears" music.

Through much study she has learned to listen to a piece of music with her
mind running in analysis mode and to this day does not listen to classical
music for shear "enjoyment" or feeding of the human soul or emotion.

She tells me that she wishes she could be more like me where I can sit back
and disconnect my mind while still being able to hear the music for the
heart of what is is, and not the technicality behind it. To listen to music
for music's sake, and not trying to analize or figure out the technicalitiy
behind it.

I really do understand what you are saying and why. I just wish you could
hear what I hear and feel the richness of what is given to the listener on
that level.

I honestly feel that I can listen to a piece of music on that level and on
that rare occasion walk away a changed person because of it.

Tom Henson

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Leeson
Subject: Re: [kl] Another GMN discovery

Tom, I don't dispute your view for one second. I am in awe of the man's
inherent musicianship, but, speaking only for myself, I can't divorce
the way a person plays from what it is they are playing. There are
extreme cases, to be sure. I don't want to hear K. 622 played on a
xylophone, no matter musically is is done. And I don't want to hear
music created for the character of a violin done on a trumpet. That
does not mean that there is nothing to learn from it, only that I find
it fundamentally disrepectful of music in general.

Dan

Tom.Henson@-----.com wrote:
> Dan,
>
> I simply used the example of his playing transcriptions as an introduction
> of his playing.
>
> If we totally bypass what he is playing and listen to how he is playing we
> could all learn from it.
>
> I think it would be sad that someone would possibly deprive themselves of
> this musicianship simply because he was playing a transcription.
>
> Instead, listen to the way that he sings through his instrument.
>
> Tom Henson
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Daniel Leeson
> Sent: Sat Nov 23 12:30:14 2002
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Another GMN discovery
>
> While it is true that Nakariakov is a splendid, even a remarkable
> instrumentalist, I simply cannot come to the conclusion that music is
> well served when he plays (for example) the Mendelssohn violin concerto
> on his trumpet. Instead, performance of this nature reverses the role
> of the player and the composer. Instead of the player bringing service
> to the music, the music is used to bring service to the performer. The
> empty purpose of such displays is to glorify technique. I used to hear
> Jimmy Burke in Central Park with the Goldman Band play the 35 variations
> on the Carnival of Venice. And he played it splendidly, dazzling me
> with his ability, but when he got done I felt that very little music had
> happened, just a lot of notes.
>
> Dan
>
> Tom.Henson@-----.com wrote:
>
>>I'm willing to bet that if Sergei Nakariakov would record them on Fluegal
>>Horn you would be quite impressed.
>>
>>His playing is the closest thing to singing that I have ever heard. Simply
>>beautiful.
>>
>>If anyone on the list has not heard of him or heard him play, then you
>
> will
>
>>be quite impressed.
>>
>>He debuted on the stage at the ripe age of 12 years after only playing the
>>trumpet for a few years. A true child prodigy if ever there was one.
>>
>>I saw him live in concert and was awe struck.
>>
>>Here is a link to his website:
>>
>>http://www.nakariakov.com/
>>
>>
>>Tom Henson
>>
>>
>><< Stephen Moore wrote:
>>
>>http://www.gmn.com/search/archive.asp?id=15117
>>
>>This is kind of a startling find. This guy has recordings of the Brahms
>>Sonatas and Schumann Fantasy Pieces - the only problem is that they're
>
> are
>
>>played on trumpet! How dare he! :) >>
>>
>>
>>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>

--
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**Dan Leeson **
**leeson0@-----.net **
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