Illiterate Concertina Player

[Samantha]

This has turned into a discussion of a different sort of literacy ...

I can't remember whether I've posted this before, but reading anything aloud (whether words or music) requires understanding and interpretation from the performer. Someone who has difficulty reading words will read aloud without reference to the meaning of the words because they are struggling with the mechanics of what the letters mean, giving a flat and uninteresting (or even completely incomprehensible) rendition of the text, and this is the spoken equivalent of those music readers whom everyone detests.

In order to give a musical performance using written music, you need to be sufficiently familiar with your instrument and with the notation so that they do not get in the way of, but rather enhance the end product - a musical performance.

Samantha

[Frank Edgley]

Just one more story. This is from the notes on the back of a Tulla Ceili band CD as I remember it.

Apparently they were in New York and were to play in a famous venue, at the same event as a well known orchestra (I forget the details). There was some sort of power failure. The comment from the Tulla musician quoted in the liner notes was to the effect that, "We were the only ones there who could play in the dark."

The details may be a bit off as I can't find the CD right now, but the idea is there.

[Jeff Stallard]

"Reading is the ultimate goal?" Not really.

 

Yes, I agree with you. Reading is only a means to an end, the same as ear training, but I was explaining the Suzuki quote about hearing being the foundation of reading.

Edited September 14, 2005 by Jeff Stallard

[Jeff Stallard]

reading anything aloud (whether words or music) requires understanding and interpretation from the performer. Someone who has difficulty reading words will read aloud without reference to the meaning of the words because they are struggling with the mechanics of what the letters mean, giving a flat and uninteresting (or even completely incomprehensible) rendition of the text, and this is the spoken equivalent of those music readers whom everyone detests.

 

Very well stated! The problem is not reading at all, just BAD reading. I think folk musicians are exposed only to the worst readers. Given that folk music is, on paper, much simpler than other styles (few leaps, narrow range, rare accidentals, no time signature changes, etc.) beginning readers tend to gravitate toward it (I know I do). My old violin teacher, who is a professional classical musician, could SIGHT-READ any tune I gave her and she would sound like a seasoned session player. No wait, I take that back...she played in tune.

Edited September 14, 2005 by Jeff Stallard

[Mark Evans]

No wait, I take that back...she played in tune. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Now yer just bein' mean rascal.

[Henk van Aalten]

....and modulated to a key for the chorus that almost cost me manhood. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Reminds me somehow of your "chain-saw incident"

[Mark Evans]

[Reminds me somehow of your "chain-saw incident"

 

Aiyee! Yep, a little further north and I'd be singin' a different tune!

 

jeff, I'm attempting a link to a cut of Teatotaler's Reel. Yes Leo at 79 has "authentic" intonation, but what he does with it and urges me to do is fun. When he's playing I can see people dancing because he is. It's our imperfections that make us human.

 

http://www.frc.mass.edu/teresap/test%20music/

Edited September 14, 2005 by Mark Evans

[Jeff Stallard]

There was some sort of power failure. The comment from the Tulla musician quoted in the liner notes was to the effect that, "We were the only ones there who could play in the dark."

 

As I said previously, the benefits of ear playing are vast and deep, but you could turn it around and tell this type of story: "One of the musicians wanted me to play a song she had written, so she handed all of us the music, but I was the only one who could read it."

[Jeff Stallard]

Yes Leo at 79 has "authentic" intonation, but what he does with it and urges me to do is fun.  When he's playing I can see people dancing because he is.  It's our imperfections that make is human.

 

Of course. No one will deny that. I'm not sure where you're going with that. If you're implying that classical music doesn't have those endearing imperfections, I again offer this quote as my rebuttal: "the left hand leaps sometimes completely miss their mark and hit totally wrong keys! But I hardly noticed the mistakes; the piece was so dynamic, so intense, so full of life!"

Edited September 14, 2005 by Jeff Stallard

[Mark Evans]

Jeff, it is possible I am going nowhere with this, nor should I have to.

 

The majority of my performing life was spent in the "Classical" genre. An assumption that it was the highest form of the musical arts was prevelant. Perfection is (you can bet the mortgage money on it) the goal. It is a rare reviewer who will heap anything but derision upon the performer who has somehow not come up to a perfectionists standard.

 

Now as a fellow who teaches general music courses for non music majors, I have had to abandon the available texts because of a pervasive prejudice contained in favor of "Classical" genre. Creative, expressive music is not limited to a genre.

 

Yeah, that's where I was going. Now I must lie down and take my blood pressure medication and perhaps a nap.

[Rex]

Where can I buy an illiterate concertina? Is there a good web site for instruction on playing the illiterate concertina? Are they more like an English or an Anglo?

[ceemonster]

we seem to have leapt straight to taking "illiterate" in the quote as referring to dots versus ear. but i read this quote to mean, "illiterate," period.

 

from my listening experience as a culture vulture of catholic tastes who loves howlin' wolf & erik satie equally, i have to agree with the larger point of the quote as i took it. to take a concertina example, (and NOT to mean here that gerdie commane is unlettered or noel hill anything less than brilliant), but, i'm sorry----is the playing of mrs. crotty or gerdie on "two gentleman of clare music" less moving, profound or heart-piercing than that of noel or any of the amazing anglo virtuosi of the postmod era?

 

nope.