In re: <message: 14 <date: Tue, 1 May 2007 07:32:45 -0700 (PDT) <from: matthew scheffelman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <subject: [Hornlist] RE: Teaching children... < <Kendall, < <Actually, Bjork to my ears is great. Her "band" was <unrefined, yes i agree, but I liked that, kind of like <a " atonal wind up music box". Her movie Dancer in the <Dark was a beautiful piece. She starred and sang all <the music.
I actually sent in a post to this list following the SNL broadcast that apparently was one of those resounding "zen trees falling in the forest" since no one felt moved to comment at the time. First off, I need to say that, while I have not been closely following the Icelandic damozel's career too closely, it is clear at a glance that she has "something" distinctive going (and I enjoyed it in a subliminal mindless way - which is OK by me). And yet, I can see why brother Kendall takes offense at the back up horn trio; they clearly are backup performers given brass instruments to play rather than trained brass players hired for their musical ability. This understandably drives those of us who have spent even a few months (to say nothing of years and decades) of serious effort learning to play the most beautiful and rewarding instrument in the universe (or maybe I should say enslaved to the bitch-goddess to spice up the discussion?) into fits. One hopes that effort and determination and sincerity would count in the quest for outlets for one's muse, but that clearly is not what drives most of pop music, certainly not when it comes to how pop chooses to "showcase" acoustic orchestral instruments. How often do you see some rock or pop star on late night TV or in concert at Radio City with a backup "orchestra" made up of (or have even a healthy minority of) middle aged white men (and MAWM do exist in the music business, I am told)? So often it is a heavily minority-laden group of female violinists standing in a row sawing out a few repetitive licks that make Kendall's Tune-a-Day sound like Paganini caprices. Please don't just go on to the next tired chops thread thinking that this is simply the raving of a misogynist and racist old fart (well, actually I am a raving old fart, but never mind that part) and miss the point. And that point is? Many possibilities: That the classical and pop markets have essentially nothing to do with each other - Pop audiences have no idea what goes into the act on stage and could care less - We all should be strikingly attractive latina-asian violinists - That we should all just do what we do best and enjoy most and not worry about what anyone else is doing - Add some of your own; I guess you could say I'm trolling a bit on this one, but only because I think it doesn't hurt to think about and discuss issues that are OT but not related to horn equipment or study once in a while. Happy Worker's Day, laborers of the (horn) world, Peter Hirsch _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
