Chris,
I agree with you completely, I've now started to site read everything,
and feel quite liberated.
I was told by a lutenist whom I respect very much that no one plays
without tablature, and to do so, would show a great disrespect to the
composer. He also stressed to me, NOT to memorize anything .
This type of thinking seems deeply imbedded in the lute world, but one
doesn't find this thinking in other realms as much.
I guess my mistake was to elevate the lute to the status of great solo
pianists, cellists, violinists and guitarists, in such a way that it would
fill a concert hall of 3000 people. I was simply questioning why this is
not the case.
Showmanship is an essential part of the musical experience, between an
audience and performer, all world class musicians use it to some degree.
After having this subliminal philosophy of site reading ONLY impressed on
my mind, and if I don't, I'm not a real lute player, kind of thing. I'm
simply questioning the tradition, I'm finding it seems to be a total
fabrication by modern lutenists, invented to accommodate playing 20
different types of instruments. What about someone like me who plays 2
different ones, this philosophy then doesn't have any relavance. I'm not,
knocking it, just trying to sort it all out.
Michael Thames
www.ThamesClassicalGuitars.com
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Michael Thames" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Arto Wikla"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005 5:54 AM
Subject: Re: Blind players and memory
> Michael,
>
> I found that many guitarists memorize simply
> because they are _such_ poor readers. I know this was
> the case with myself in the beginning and I've seen it
> happen to most of my students as well. However, since
> I've delved into the lute world and learned to play in
> multiple tunings with different forms of tab, as well
> as continuo, I've found my ability to read modern
> notation has increased dramatically.
>
> The up-side of this is that I'm a lot more
> versatile as both a soloist, ensemble player, and
> general musician: there's absolutely no need for me to
> panic if I get a phone call late at night looking for
> someone to fill in tomorrow. The down-side is that I
> find it much more difficult to memorize due to the
> simple fact that I now play much, MUCH more music. I
> like to think that everything I perform is just as
> polished as when I had just a few pieces in my
> repertoire ready to go at any single time. Everything
> is just as prepared from a technical and musical
> standpoint - there's absolutely no sight reading
> involved!
>
> I like to think that this ability is every bit as
> professional (if not more so) as the player who only
> memorizes a solo concert. I hope that an audience
> understands this and is willing to cut me some slack
> when I've got paper in front of me.
>
>
> Chris
>
> --- Michael Thames <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > Arto,
> > As I've said, I site read now more than I
> > memorize. As having come from
> > a classical guitar back ground,where everyone
> > memorizes, I found this
> > lutenistic tradition of only site reading ( written
> > in stone) a bit
> > perplexing.
> > I've asked for sources citing evidence for this
> > lutenistic tradition,
> > yet no one has come forward, with anything.
> > Sorry to use the term amateur,or non
> > professional, but I was not using
> > them in a derogatory way.
> > As far as where you look,as your playing,I
> > could careless. This is all
> > stage presence and up to each individual performer,
> > to with as they see fit.
> > All I can say is most super star classical
> > performers thesedays tend to
> > memorize their music.
> > If I want to hear the music I'll stay home and
> > put on a CD, but if I pay
> > $50.00 a ticket I hope you could recite Romeo and
> > Juliet,without a script,
> > between you,and the audience.
> >
> > Michael Thames
> > www.ThamesClassicalGuitars.com
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Arto Wikla" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: "Michael Thames" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Cc: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
> > Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 2:29 PM
> > Subject: Re: Blind players and memory
> >
> >
> >
> > Dear Michael and all
> >
> > On Sun, 10 Apr 2005, Michael Thames comments:
> >
> > > >This brings to mind another point in the debate
> > about >performing from
> > > memory or
> > > >score. Ever notice how most guitarists stare at
> > their >hands while
> > > playing,
> > > >while a few look into the rafters or close their
> > eyes >(drawing divine
> > > >inspiration, perhaps)? I wonder which exhibit
> > greater >professionalism
> > >
> > > I would say that you might want to consider
> > the music above all.
> > > However, it is nice to see a performer in a
> > setting where one might get
> > the
> > > impression that it's he, or she, and the audience,
> > and not a third party
> > > love affair with your sheet music.
> >
> > It is so difficult to me to take any offence, if
> > someone is using the
> > sheet music. It is in a way the contrary: When
> > someone is playing a big
> > program by hart, I am so worried, and also
> > symphatise and pity the poor
> > performer that it really diminishes my ability to
> > relax and enjoy the
> > music! An extreme case was in the Nordic Baroque
> > Festival in 2001, where
> > Pieter Wispelway had a concert, where he played ALL
> > the six Cello Suites
> > by certain J.S. Bach. He did it well, very well. But
> > he played by heart,
> > and that is why I was all the time very worried...
> > ;-)
> >
> > And by the way, many times during the concert he was
> > looking to the
> > ceiling of the church, probably wishing help from
> > the divine forces? ;)
> >
> > Anyhow, I would have enjoyed more of the conert, if
> > he had had the music
> > stand in front of him! It doesn't have mattered, if
> > there were empty
> > papers or today's newspaper on the stand...
> >
> > Summa summarum: If you improvise, you improvise. If
> > you play - if
> > you "repeat" - the music composed by another, you
> > are perfectly allowed
> > to use the sheet music. Why not? At least that does
> > not diminísh MY
> > experience...
> >
> > Arto
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > To get on or off this list see list information at
> >
> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
> >
>
>
>
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