Bill Gross wrote: > OK, here we are agonizing over transpose or not then we get a > solid example of the value of transposing. The instances of > singers asking for a change up or down on the spot has been > referenced in the past when this topic comes up. If an > orchestra can meet a singers request to change the key, what > do the other instruments do? What is the impact of > transposing on everyone else? Apparently they can do it, do > they agonize over as much as horn players?
Being able to transpose is a classic test of musicianship regardless of instrument. Even in the big university music department I attended as an undergraduate, everyone was required to play at least three single songs in all 12 keys. There are many stories of the virtuosi of the 19th century playing difficult repertoire in other keys without preparation - the names escape me at the moment but I do recall hearing these stories. Likewise stories of Bach improvising fugues at the keyboard. Transposing is a fundamental skill that demonstrates a musician knows what he's playing as more than a set of motions for the fingers - or demonstrates that he doesn't! Anyone who calls themselves a musician should be able, at the very least, to play something simple (like Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star or similar) in all twelves keys, and do this at the piano as well as on their main instrument. -S- _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
