 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-02-25 17:05
The recent threads about Julian Bliss have got me thinking about something I've noticed in the jazz and popular sides of the music world as well:
People often seem to prefer attending performances of young prodigies, rather than (arguably/subjectively) more proficient or more artistically interesting performances by veteran adult performers (who may or may not have been prodigies themselves in their youth).
Many folks, myself included, are fascinated and awestruck by the feats of prodigies relative to 'normal' youngsters of their age. This is all well and good, but it might cause us to overlook or ignore the many fine mature, adult virtuosi out there, do you agree?
To take an example from the jazz world, when the media went gaga over the Marsalis brothers a couple of decades ago (and I'll use sax player Branford as an example, since I play the instrument myself), the radio stations inundated us with 'young prodigy' Branford recordings, to the detriment of everyone else's. Whereas, in my opinion (and I'm sure I'm not alone in this viewpoint) there were literally dozens of veteran jazz sax players out there at the time who could and did play rings around Branford --- but we were never allowed to hear them, and they weren't getting gigs because they didn't have "Marsalis" as their last name. I don't mean to pick on Branford, he's no doubt a fine player, but he isn't the best in the world by a long shot, and back then you would have thought he was by all the media attention (and gigs) he got.
I just hope we don't get so obsessed with our favorite clarinet prodigy du jour that we stop supporting the many great, seasoned players who are playing as well or better than the Talented Tykes.
No disrespect to anyone intended.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2009-02-25 17:19
As much as we would like to see the arts promoted and those who have mastered their craft recognized for their skill -
In the music business, it's all about marketing, marketability and the correct timing.
The quality of the final product is often secondary.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: James
Date: 2009-02-25 19:13
I think it has a lot to do with uniqueness. Not in style but in age. There are hundreds of great 50-something players, but there aren't that many teenagers who are playing anywhere near that level. Sure the veterans may be better, but the prodigies are seen as being more special. It reminds me of a story I saw on the evening news a few weeks ago about a 12 year old who was entering medical school. This kid got a story despite the fact that thousands of other people enter medical school every year. The bottom line is that if you accomplish that much as such a young age you're going to get a good bit of attention.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: George Stalle
Date: 2009-02-26 13:59
Julian's acclaim reminds me of the acclaim accorded Yehudi Menuhin at a young age, thought probably not as swift as Menuhin's meteoric rise. That's probably due to the time in which Menuhin lived and also due to the fact that he was a violinist.
I like Julian and Anthony McGill, for example, but can really detect a very slight lack of relaxation in their phrasing that I think comes with age.
George Stalle
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: J. J.
Date: 2009-02-26 14:37
Anthony McGill is not some young prodigy anymore. He's an established player who has held multiple major jobs. Either you don't care for elements of his playing or you are fooling yourself into perceiving immature characteristics.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sdr
Date: 2009-02-26 16:36
That's the difference between "spectacle" and "art".
-sdr
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steve L
Date: 2009-02-27 22:06
Music is a language, maybe the young prodigy has something different to 'say'.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: vin
Date: 2009-02-27 22:20
Yes- this is silly. Anthony McGill has won two major major auditions behind a screen. He is at the top of the art form. Attributing things you like or dislike about his playing to his age is armchair quarterbacking of the worst kind.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
