Klarinet Archive - Posting 000891.txt from 2003/02

From: Dan Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Technical or Expression?
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2003 22:08:34 -0500

Fascinating question! No one has all the answers but it is a safe bet to
suggest that if one is not technically a master of the instrument, the
expressiveness of his/her playing will not matter very much.

But the more important point, from my perspective at least, is that
technical playing is objective and one knows almost instantly if the
material has been played technically correctly. But expressive playing
is very subjective and what is expressive to one person can be glue and
mush to another.

The question is not dissimilar to one that was very common among college
students 25 to 30 years when they asked: "which is more important to
getting a good job - technical mastery of one's discipline or being
socially active and having people like you?" The answer, at least from
my point of view, was if you don't master the details of your job, it
doesn't matter how many people find you socially involved.

I think that expressive playing follows on from correct technical
playing, and if you don't have the latter, you won't achieve the former.

Hong Xianwei wrote:
> I've recently been told that playing as a musician,
> irregardless of which instrument played, it is not the
> technical aspect of playing which is important, but
> rather the expression of the music.
>
> The notes are just black or white circles with lines
> attached to it, or for some notes, they don't. They
> are just something as an indication of the expression,
> but yet they require the technical aspect of playing
> to be able to read them.
>
> However, they are not able to tell a person as a
> player, how they are supposed to sound like. Thus, the
> question I would like to ask is, which is more
> important? or perhaps, which should come first?
>
> I would appreciate all comments and view on this
> issue. Thank You.
>
> Hong Xianwei (Singapore)
>
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> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

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