I think of music as music: whether it is folk, classical or whatever.
As I've never heard the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra criticized for 'flat'
playing because they are playing from music, I think that criticism is
rather a reflection on the skill of the players, rather than a
criticism of the medium being used.
I think Peter makes just the point here that I was going to make, when
Anthony (I think) first started the debate. Also, Dick made very good
points.
The "flatness" and mechanical playing problems which many people perceive
with "playing from dots" is only inevitable for people who struggle with the
reading, and those who think that the dots represent *exactly* how music
should be played. Only a computer plays music exactly as written - good
musicians will always lengthen/shorten certain notes, pull the rhythm around
subtly and put life & expression into the music as they read it.
I'm sure everybody with a so-called "classical" music training here (and
jazz or whatever) - i.e. anyone for whom the purely mechanical act of
reading written music is completely second nature, does the reading without
consciously thinking about doing it. Playing the music sensitively, with the
right style or expression or whatever, is what you do with it "on top of"
the reading so to speak - well or less well depending on your musicianship
and understanding of the music.
People who do jazz or early music maybe depart from the written notes more
than "main-stream" classical players do - but all competent musicians would
surely reject idea that reading inevitably leads to "flatness".
Philip
To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
