But unknown in this hemisphere. Steve, you said everything perfectly, but it seems hard to get this understood by the majority. Playing on a first chair in a wind section or playing as a soloist or chamber musician requires the same skill as you just described. If you are the leader of that particular group (chamber music) you need all these requisites too. ============================================================ ====================================================
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Steve Freides Sent: Sunday, October 08, 2006 6:56 PM To: 'The Horn List' Subject: RE: [Hornlist] Conductors etc Hans Pizka wrote: -snip- > ... The > greatest advantage of these great conductors is their ability to > LISTEN, to listen what´s coming from the various players in the pit or > on stage and just use what´s being offered to them or even fine tuning > the one or the other phrase or voice. As a conducting student, I found this process the heart of the matter but, while easy enough to describe, very difficult to do well. One must learn to conduct what one wants musically, to ask for what one wants with words, but to do that well _and_ to listen carefully to what's being played - that is a real multi-tasking skill. Those who can only listen and critique are coaches, not conductors. My favorite definition of musical talent comes from theorist Carl Schachter. I cannot quote him exactly, but if one knows a bit about Schenkerian analysis, Carl's speciality, one can appreciate his comment that while many people might be able to manage the "big picture" (emotion, character, style, history, etc.), the smallest details, or the levels in between (e.g., phrasing), the truly talented at music manage _all_ these things simultaneously, and it is that simultaneous attention to the big picture, the smallest detail, and everything in between that makes for a great performance. Carl studied with, and later coauthored a theory text with Felix Saltzer who, in turn, worked directly with Heinrich Schenker. And let me hasten to add that Carl is a delightful, insightful teacher, a wonderfully musical pianist, and always a interesting person to be around. -S- _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
