 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: huff n' puff
Date: 2008-12-18 11:40
Hi, all..... (vague connection with clari playing)........
there will be many ways to observe the deterioration of the collective well-being of a society.
Some time ago a friend stopped me in my tracks when he asked "when did you last hear someone whistling a tune in the street?"
Do people whistle tunes in the street in Canada, Switzerland, N.Z., the States, Zimbabwe?
Love to hear any views........ H&P.
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Author: Neal Raskin
Date: 2008-12-18 11:50
You make a very good point. I can't remember the last time I heard someone whistling in public. The only people I hear hum or whistle or sing are musicians... we are experiencing a change in society where only professionals "do." In many more areas than music this is happening and its a shame. Here is a quote I appreciate very much:
"Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best."
- Henry Van Dyke
More Music Education I say!
Neal Raskin
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Author: redwine
Date: 2008-12-18 13:01
Hello,
No whistling... interesting observation. I do believe this boils down to a lack of good education. Here in the US, audiences are getting smaller and smaller, and older and older. The young people are not being taught very well (from my observations of teaching masterclasses at high schools), and kids are busier than ever, so they are not gaining an appreciation of music by actually being a part of good music making. In Spain and Wales, where I've taught previously, the education seems to be much better, and when I've played concerts there, the audiences are much larger and younger. It's a shame. I wish music education were more valued for what it offers. My wife is the head master of a private school in the Washington, D.C. area. Because she is passionate about the arts, her school (kindergarten-8th grade) has a strong music department. However, she is not tied to the test-driven curriculum of the public schools, so she can schedule extra hours on the arts in the day. I guess it's up to us, the musicians, to bring the people along. How do we get them to listen?
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2008-12-18 14:03
I hum and sing a lot when wandering around. Of course, I am a horrible singer so it's mostly "dum de dum de dum" on or around one pitch!! At least I am great with funkifying the rhythms!
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2008-12-18 14:27
Yes, I've heard someone humming from time to time. At a grocery store we even saw an old man dancing to the Muzak, and he brought smiles to those of us in the aisle. But it's not often to hear someone hum or whistle in public.
My theory? Society has been conditioned to allow professionals to do their singing for them, and if kids singing isn't "good enough" they're intimidated or laughed at just when they're at the age to need encouragement and they crave inclusion. The modern songs are so complex that they're hard to sing to. The songs of the past were so singable, with a definite melody and memorable lyrics. Of course music training in grade school is pretty well lacking, too. We used to go once a week to the music room and learn how to sing using song books with the music and lyrics, and we were taught how the lyrics match up to the notes. This was early on, perhaps grade 2 or 3.
So we can sing to our babies because they're only thinking "My Mommy or Daddy loves me!" even with bad singing. When they start to vocalize, reward them by singing along with them and celebrate their efforts. Teach them by word and example that there are some things in life that are valuable enough to do even if other people frown on it... not by being anti-social or irritating, but in a proper context there are times when we should be confident to stand out in a crowd to bring delight to others. Of course teenagers are embarrassed easily by anything that Mom or Dad do in public so that can be touchy. But if their own efforts can be encouraged.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-12-18 14:35
> Do people whistle tunes in the street in Canada, Switzerland, N.Z., the
> States, Zimbabwe?
They do here. Well, I do, and you can even hear construction workers sing or hum while laying bricks or sweeping the sidewalk.
I often have that tune in my head (especially before a concert) which haunts me even on the loo. Can't help but whistling.
> seismic sneeze
Must be a distant cousin of my mother. (and she appears to have passed it on to her offspring)
--
Ben
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-12-18 14:45
"(vague connection with clari playing).."
Hardly....
Bob Draznik
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Author: chipper
Date: 2008-12-18 15:15
"Hardly...."??? Don't be so snooty about music. This is the attitude that leads our young folks to think the only music worth one's time is that of professional musicians.
I whistle often during the day. Mostly when I need to leave my cubicle to meet with a colleague or do an errand. I'm a terrible whistler, pitch wise, but use it to work out rythym of a piece I'm working on. Works for me and I'm sure a lot of people at the office feel better hearing me comming, as happiness is infectious.
Methinks that everyone can and should make music (and art too) in their own humble way and then go to hear professional preformance to see how it's really done. This bolsters the amature's appreciation of the master and would probably increase ticket sales. So any way we can infect the public with music should happen.
By the way, my own sweet dear wife assures me that one day I could, if I practice hard, rise to the level of mediocraty on the clarinet. So I continue to play for myself, family, friends and the community for fun and will patronize professional preformance when I really want to be blown away.
Peace
C
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Author: Jacob S
Date: 2008-12-18 15:19
I think it would be fun if people were more open with their artistic capabilities. Go outside like it's a movie and people are in front of their houses practicing their instruments, it'd be grand! My parents and other adults I'm around always seem to be humming or whistling. My friends, not so much... Occasionally I hear people whistling at school, though. I guess it'd be hard to whistle Puff Daddy or T-Pain
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Author: William
Date: 2008-12-18 15:25
No whistling here either, but Ipods in abundance. Also, more people talking out loud to their earphone devicies than humming. Maybe the blame should not be placed so heavily on the quality of music education but the proliferation of personal electronic devicies that offer the easy way out for humans to entertain themselves. Why learn to tune a clarinet when it is far easier to tune an Ipod and instantly hear music played perfectly? Or play tennis on a Wii than go outside and cope with the elements of nature and work at real exercise?? Not true for everyone--but perhaps true for the many who have become couch potatoes and wall flowers.
But maybe we can join together and help rejuvinate some public cheer during the New Year. Ever notice that when one person starts to whistle, others tend to join in? That is why you are tempted to join in when you hear the old Andy Griffin theme or Bing's whistling during "White Christmas". Here's what we can do. The next time your all out in public, just pucker up and whistle the hap-happiest tune that comes to mind. You'rs could be the whistle "heard 'round the world". As John Lennon might have observed, "Imagine".
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Author: CPW
Date: 2008-12-18 16:01
It is hard to whistle and have it sound (feel) like a subwoofer with a 500 Watt amplifier
Another observation:
Dating once consisted of searching a prospective mate's Dunn and Bradstreet listing. Then it became contingent on being able to strum from the Joan Baez songbook. Now it consists of one question: "What's on your playlist?"
Against the windmills of my mind
The jousting pole splinters
Post Edited (2008-12-18 16:01)
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Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2008-12-18 16:13
Whistling can be dangerous. Many years ago I was whistling some tune as I left a building and a female person walking nearby yelled that it was not polite for me to whistle at her.
While there was no way I would have ever whistled at her, the lesson was learned and my whistling or humming these days is a lot softer than it was back then.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2008-12-18 17:49
There was this guy at Oberlin while I was there who was a voice major. As he walked between various campus locations, he usually whistled a variety of tunes. You really could hear him from at least a block away. That was pretty cool.
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Author: BG ★2017
Date: 2008-12-18 18:50
Listen to pit musicians as they leave the theater after playing:
"Bye, Bye, Birdie" "We Love You Conrad, Oh Yes We Do"
or
"Annie" "The Sun Will Come Out, Tomorrow"
Not so much on "The Producers" "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" or a couple of other songs from the show that shall not be named right now!
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Author: William
Date: 2008-12-18 20:32
I am a frequent whistler everywhere I go rendering all sorts of tunes, many totally made up for the moment. But, as a vertern local pit musician, I have never, never, never, EVER, walked away from a production of ANNIE whistling, "The Sun Will Come Up, Tomorrow". Did I mention, NEVER!!!!!!! It's almost as bad as "Follow the Fold". Yikes--enough.
However, there are lots of other happy tunes from which to choose, and I suggest everyone get out there, pucker up and spread the joy. It could start a trend everywhere.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2008-12-18 20:37
Some time ago, I was in a secondhand bookshop. A Beatles album ("Sgt. Pepper", IIRC) was on the CD player; another customer was whistling along with the Fab Four. Nothing wrong with that, of course. But his whistling was so piercing and so off-pitch that I had to leave the store and come back when he was gone.
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2008-12-18 20:41
William wrote:
>No whistling here either, but Ipods in abundance. Also, more people talking out loud to their earphone devicies than humming.<
Oh, my, yes, to the point where the bank and the pharmacy have to have signs asking people to put the %$&^ cell phone away so the bankers and pharmacists can talk to them!
A revolution in private music-making is in order, both in the home and on the street! I remember one day walking across the parking lot at the bookstore with my kids in the stroller when the oldest was no more than three. I started singing "All Together Now" with my older son. I sang the verse, and then we got to
(Mom) Bom Bom Bom Bom Ba Bom
(3-year-old) Sail the ship!
(Mom) Bom Ba Bom
(3-year-old) Chop the tree!
I turned and saw a woman crossing the parking lot with the biggest smile on her face. I think the little guy singing the Beatles from the stroller made her day.
Cheers
Barb
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-12-18 21:55
Elmo Tanner was the best.....Happy Kine, second best...
Bob Draznik
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2008-12-18 23:20
William: 20 years later I catch myself humming/thinking "Follow the Fold." Will it never end?!?! I mean, I've only played the show the one week 20 years ago in summer stock...
As far as retail stores go, I work in a CD/DVD shop and we always have something on. Sometimes it's good music, sometimes not. This time of year, it's holiday music usually, and we get all kinds of people humming/singing along in their best "I can sing in a talented way" fashion. Vibrato, rubato, made-up notes a la Star-Spangled Banner, etc.
Only time any customer has left cause of another customer, it was cause he was "banging" (i.e. tapping) a rhythm (which went fine with the overhead) on the DVD he was holding.
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Author: BG ★2017
Date: 2008-12-19 01:31
Hi William,
My point was that some of those stupid songs from the Broadway shows are often very difficult to get out of your head. You are correct that I doubt if anyone comes away whistling or singing those tunes, but that doesn't make them go away immediately!
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Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2008-12-20 02:51
I was absentmindedly whistling Hora Stocota yesterday while walking through a hotel lobby. (Sorry about the spelling, but you get the idea.) Some guy jolted my reverie by giving me a look as if I had just arrived from Mars. I didn't think it was that bad. While I whistle all the time, it's been ages since I heard anyone else whistling in public.
Many years ago, I heard someone whistling the finale to Dvorak's New World and looked around to find my brother coming down the street! It must run in the family.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2008-12-20 16:46
I've whistled quite a lot for about 50 years. As a boy, I remember my older sisters begging me to stop. Half the time I hardly realize I'm doing it. I'm probably fairly good, and in fact I work at it occasionally. I hear very few others whistling, fewer than in the past.
Some years ago, for a short while there was this lady in our production department, and as I was walking by her desk one day I noticed that she was quietly whistling a theme from Brahms' 2nd symphony. Amazed, I stopped and complemented her on her choice of repertoire. She was also amazed, particularly that anyone would recognize the piece.
And even longer ago, in the '80's, I was visiting a friend in a low income housing project. The window was open, and someone walked by whistling the theme from the last movement of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto (which is slightly tricky to get right.) I ran and raised the curtain, but whoever it was was gone.
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Author: marcia
Date: 2008-12-20 22:57
I work in a hospital and have heard a couple of Docs whistling as they walk along the hallways. One does it so frequently it's almost his trade mark. I always know when he is around.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-12-21 17:39
During a recent shopping trip to Pick & Save with my wife, I tried whistling some holiday tunes--even a few motifs of the Mozart Concerto. Sad to report, only stares and no joiners...........(bah, humbug I guess)
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Author: Carmen
Date: 2008-12-21 20:21
One time, riding the commuter train home, I was humming along to my excerpt book, before I got to home to actually practice. It was very quiet and almost inaudible. However, the woman next to me, wearing headphones and watching something on her ipod asked me to stop annoying her....wonderful.
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Author: clariknight
Date: 2008-12-21 22:31
My friends always look at me like I'm crazy when I start humming whatever song I'm studying. The look on my friends face when I randomly started singing the third movement to the Poulenc Sonata was priceless.
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Author: bstutsman
Date: 2008-12-25 04:44
It's our fault as music educators. If we taught whistling in the schools, as we should, you would hear more whistling in our culture.
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Author: Chalumeau Joe
Date: 2008-12-27 01:53
Perhaps nowadays people are more conscious that whistling in public could be annoying to others (i.e., invading personal space, and such)?
BTW: I see and hear fewer "boom boxes" than I did 20 years ago. Is that a reflection of our deteriorating society as well?
Hardly.
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Author: Buffet Boy
Date: 2008-12-27 02:11
Now when I say this I don't mean to be a offensive in anyway to anybody, but...
People who come from countries who are very poor or otherwise usually whistle a lot because they do not have any other form of entertinment. It's extremely enjoyable to watch because they make a up like 3-part harmonies on the spot.
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Author: wonhunk
Date: 2008-12-27 04:01
i whistle ALL the time. specialy when I listen to the radio and a tune I like comes on, i whistle along. -.-
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