Klarinet Archive - Posting 000157.txt from 2004/07

From: "dnleeson" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] bumblebee
Date: Mon, 5 Jul 2004 11:41:20 -0400

If I were to be a judge at a competition at which a young player
did bumblebee, I would have several reactions.

First, presuming that s/he could play it satisfactorily, I would
make complementary noises.

Second, even if s/he could not play it at all, I would give
credit for courage but none for brains.

Third, independent of technical ability, I would be very critical
of the choice of work, because what it shows is a desire to show
technical fluidity at the expense of musicality. As an example
that might be more clear, I would be concerned if a conductor
chose his audition program to include Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
but not a Beethoven symphony. There are conductors under whom I
have played (notice, that I do not say, "under whom I have had
the honor of playing") who can only conduct Schoenberg's
Gurrelieder because they cannot conduct a Beethoven symphony.
They just don't ahve the musical depth to deal with the issues of
a Beethoven symphony. They also do not have the depth to deal
with Schoenberg either, but few in the audience would notice that
because such works are far too complex to allow a concergoer to
grasp what is going on without multiple and repeated hearings.

Fourth, I would criticize any contest that would be so liberal as
to allow a work demonstrating nothing but technical fluency. It
does not allow a judge to conclude if the player has no musical
substance, just fast hands. (Remember Rafael Mendez, the Mexican
trumpet player? He could only play fast. When he played slow, he
invariably zigged when he should have zagged. Remember Jimmie
Burke, the solo cornettist with the Goldman Band. As far as I
was able to determine, he could ONLY play fast.)

Dan Leeson
DNLeeson@-----.net

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