There is certainly much to value from the "Old World" style of learning music. I agree that students should study music well before picking up an instrument. Even piano, considered one of the greatest training instruments is often taught without any connection with the ear to the music, but rather as one learns to type. You see a note, you press a button.
William Vacchiano used to tell me that if his trumpet students had solid command of the scales, and a sense of each individual scale degree, then they could employ what he referred to as "number" transposition, in other words, recognizing the written scale degree and relating it to the same scale degree in the required key. This method works very well for those students who fully mastered their scales, particularly with classical and early romantic music. Many of my colleagues in Italy were highly skilled in clef transposition, thinking everything in concert pitch and inserting the appropriate clef and key signature. While this method could put the player in the wrong octave if taken literally, it was nevertheless a very successful approach. My students in Rome (having had wonderful musical training prior to entering my studio) would use solfeggio in concert pitch on regular "F" horn parts, employing the mezzo-soprano clef and adding the inherent extra flat into the key signature (3 flats becomes 4, two sharps becomes 1). This method was particularly valuable to those who had perfect pitch. The bottom line for me, and I think many here would agree with me on this, is to be able to "hear" what you see and then reproduce the sound in your mind's ear, just as we read words aloud. While this is an obvious statement to most of us on the list, there are a disturbingly high number of music teachers out there, particularly on piano, who do not want to go through the pains of guiding their students in this way. The instruction my two sons, ages 8 and 6 are getting in music class in their public school is appalling, and in my opinion, criminal. When I was their age, I used to get in trouble because I always corrected the teacher's erroneous methods, and I fear my boys will follow in their father's footsteps. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of hans Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 2:01 AM To: 'The Horn List' Subject: RE: [Hornlist] Re: transposing Hello Ger, thank you for advertising my mouthpiece. I have sold over 1000 now. All same type & same size. Yes, I agree if you talk about a non professional horn player. Well, a non professional less experienced horn player would surely rewrite a part, if the part is a bit complicated & in certain transpositions. Nothing to be said against. My comments are directed towards the students speaking of a professional career & some know-you-all semi-professionals or amateurs. And Ger, the comparison is quite lame. Two different instruments remainh two different instruments (hard ware plus physical technique), while transposition skill is a brain process only. In the old days even string players could transpose one step up or down & it was necessary in opera & operetta orchestras. The reason for the difficulties in transposition skill comes from the fact, that many young player do not read ANY KIND of music as we did. We played all available music in the right key, which meant we had to transpose it. Better transposing another instruments part than losing the job (or gig) to another player. Was quite selfish but worked economically & to improve the skill. ============================================================ ============================================ -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of G.M.J. Otten Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 7:42 PM To: horn Subject: [Hornlist] Re: transposing Hans wrote: And finally, why do you open the emails on this topic, if you have no interest on that topic ????? You make the mistake not those who discuss it. Hans, Good point. But I really could not resist because I knew you would give an answer. My point is that although I have no big problems to transpose and it can be easily be learnt I respect the better playing hornplayer more who is a bad transposer over the bad playing hornplayer who is very skilled in something that is not that important for a non professional player. My 8 year old son who plays the violin can read my hornparts and we can play duets together and off course I can play his violon music. But I still can not play the violin. If you can deliver me a monkey who can play the horn I will teach him to transpose ! Btw: I truly can recommend Hans mouthpiece to everyone. 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