Hans, It is not so difficult to demand better musical aesthetics from our students, other than that we are constantly competing with popular culture. We are bombarded with television commercials which use loud sound bytes having nothing to do with the concepts you speak of. I have seen some showing a basketball player slamming a ball over a cellist in concert dress or a teenage rock guitarist skateboarding onto a stage during a classical piano performance blaring his instrument to thunderous applause as if he has saved the audience from aural death. Our young people are overwhelmed with noise and visual images, so no wonder many have lost their ears. I have young colleagues at my school with advanced Ivy League degrees in other disciplines who cannot recognize a cello or a bassoon on sight. We are churning out numerous music educators with absolutely no serious training or understanding of that which you have spoken.
Still, there are some teachers who insist on a higher level of musical understanding. There are also many young people who naturally seek a higher aesthetic, and somehow (usually with the support of educated, aware parents) manage to connect with the more artistically demanding teachers. It is not a hopeless situation yet, but the trend is not as promising as I would hope, and with funding for professional orchestras and good training grounds for young musicians diminishing, we are heading for trouble. In his state of the union address, George W. Bush made a case for stronger support for education in math and science, but his track record for support of the arts is abysmal. All we can do is fight the good fight. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Hans.Pizka Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 9:20 AM To: 'The Horn List' Subject: RE: [Hornlist] Music per se ! Hello Lawrence, your message is one of the true answers. What is so difficult in the US school bands, to keep these youngsters NOT playing so loud & not blaring all the time ? Does it mirror the society, with the blared commands & the marching noise (it is not music, even the band masters think they command a music band) like in the caserne compound ? And the Mozart ? Isn´t it like raping Mozart most of the time, even these people seem to enjoy "the Mozart noise" they make (mostly) ? But nevertheless, we here in Europe have plenty of young professionals who not even know the story of "Carmen" nor being interested to know it. If one likes to make real music, no matter what level, he or she must respect the music as a very complex acoustical-physical-mental sensation. If one factor is left out, forget it. It becomes just noise. This is for all levels, amateurs, youngsters, professionals. ============================================================ ============================================== -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 9:25 AM To: horn@music.memphis.edu Subject: Re: [Hornlist] Re: Transposing In a message dated 27/02/2006 07:31:53 GMT Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: think there is a point where the horn player has to start thinking about learning transposition,but that usually doesn't come until right before college I disagree completely. My 10year old pupils can all transpose at least horn in Eb at sight and can have a good go at Cand Bb as well. They'll attempt any other transposition put in front of them. They don't find it difficult, they just do it as a matter of course- it's as natural to them as putting in the mouthpiece. The earlier you start, the better. Left until college age, yes, then it might be difficult to start. All the best, Lawrence "þaes ofereode - þisses swa maeg" _http://lawrenceyates.co.uk_ (http://lawrenceyates.co.uk/) Dulcian Wind Quintet: _http://dulcianwind.co.uk_ (http://dulcianwind.co.uk/) _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/hans%40pizka. de _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/pandolfi%40deerfield.edu _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
