4 Comments

1. 
   Peter who is another

   July 26, 2007 at 9:24 am

   Such an interesting adjective, “stuffy”. I think its common use in regards to “classical” music concerts is a reflection of the change of relationship to “music” since the development of recording. The easy access to music, breeds a familiarity that allows one to develop tastes, ownerships. It also allows one to wash dishes, clip ones toenails and other such activities while listening. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t a deeper relationship, it just means one gets to pick and choose one’s time to sit and listen as opposed to clipping toenails with music. It is always available. So much of the concert world is a reflection of the long time rarity of music, young people are used to listening as they want, and editing their listening for greatest affect. The patience to wait through music for the parts that one likes is rare. Meanwhile, the exposure to huge amounts of music for your average 21st century person, compared to the exposure at the time most “classical” music comes from, implies a different audience then the composer wrote for. So you take this 21st century young person, who has heard more music (or at least structured sound) then Brahms did in his entire life, stick him in a room (often, when very young, stuck into constrictive clothing by parents) and remove the ability to edit to taste, demand a certain social respect for the others in the hall (a pet peeve of mine with the young and old alike, the lack of respect of my concert space, comings and goings, talkings and coughings. I am used to the quiet of my listening sanctum at home) and they will find it “stuffy”.

   A difference between “stuffy” classical musicians and rock music “snobs”, the former expects the latter to help financially support their music.
2. 
   patricia

   July 26, 2007 at 9:48 am

   Hmmm. I actually haven’t ever thought that rock music lovers (or the snobs … and of course I was joking about that whole thing … there are snobs in anything) should support what I do. Ever. I have hoped that some people would eventually get the “music I love” bug, but I don’t expect anyone who doesn’t care for what I do to support “my” music.

   Ooh, clipping toenails to music? Yikes! I can’t even handle the sound of clipping toenails alone, much less to music! (Really. I guess it’s like that scratching on a chalkboard to some folks.) There are some string players in the orchestras I’m connected to that clip their fingernails at a rehearsal. Hurts. My. Ears.

   But yes, listening has changed. For me, listening is a very taxing thing. There are times when I half-listen and feel guilty, but sometimes my brain just can’t handle more.

   I’m rambling … as usual … just writing out loud …

   My kids came to rehearsals at times, and to concerts at others. They seemed to enjoy it. (Our youngest begged to stay for an entire opera when we thought he’d stay for an act.) Maybe it’s how music is introduced. Maybe it’s about taste. I dunno. Our kids like “classical” music, but they like other music as well. (You can hear my older son’s music here. I don’t think it would be called “classical”. (Sorry about the quotes; I still struggle with the use of “classical” as the all-of-it. My problem, I know.)

   Hmmm. Not sure I’m really even responding to what you wrote. Sorry. Bad brain! Bad brain!

   Oh … and about the “listening sanctum” … I have a tremendously difficult time at concerts. I’m so used to being in the middle of the muddle, sitting on stage, where the music surrounds and encases me so much. I get into a hall and all I hear are candies being unwrapped, people coughing, cellphones (even after an announcement to tell us to turn them off) … you name it … and, as happened at the last concert, someone sketching right next to me. Still, I go because I want to hear things the “real” way; the way an audience hears things. It reminds me, for one thing, of how unimportant I really am up on the stage the majority of the time.

   Okay … ramble done … back to the Tour de France ….

   (Thanks for writing!)
3. 
   Peter who is another

   July 26, 2007 at 10:20 am

   Ooh, you mention something I find interesting. As one who played violin in school orchestras, and then as a rock/jazz musician and then a studio player, I got used to the sound being all around me, and at a certain volume. I often want to turn orchestras up (and sometimes rebalance), but this might be a case of my music listening at home. Of course, now in my mid-fifties, I have 24/7 tinnitus, although it has not (apparently) damaged by frequency spectrum much, and I have the usual loss of top end (I’m not much above 10k). I am glad to see you mention that experience.

   Those lucky children of musicians must be a wonderfully strange lot (when it comes to musical tastes) 🙂

   I am with you on the “” classical biz. Music labels seem, sometimes, to be half of the problem.

   As to “bad brain”, I prefer to think of blogs like counters at coffee shops, and not a formal academic setting, as must be clear from my often incoherent ramblings. As I sometimes blog from the middle of the night, alone with my computer, I burst out in very inpolite blasts, untethered to the people I am communicating with, their facial reactions etc.to temper my expression. I often have to apologize, but that is what makes it a very vital form of communication to me.

   Thank you for your blog, your writing seems so honest that I feel I am truly enjoying the perspective of the oboe chair.
4. 
   patricia

   July 26, 2007 at 10:51 am

   When I go to concerts to listen rather than to play I have several reactions.

   1) “It’s too soft! I want more. Why am I not surrounded by sound?”
   2) “The audience is too noisy. And there’s so many perfumes. And why are people so fidgety?”
   3) “Wow! So I am not the center of everything after all! I thought that low note was more important than it is. I thought that solo was longer. Funny how the distance changes things. I should be less stressed on stage. Go figure.”

   So even with the distractions and the audience that gets in my way of total enjoyment, I go to be reminded that I’m not the center of the universe. 🙂

   Yes, our kiddos have very eclectic tastes. Our younger son listens to opera, musical theatre, Beatles, Philip Glass, Johnny Cash, White Stripes, Queen, Simon & Garfunkel … I never know what we’ll be hearing! Our daughter? Deerhoof (sp?), Beatles, Decemberists, former opera fanatic although I think that’s died down … and more …. And our older son is more into some sort of dance stuff (of the three I’m most unfamiliar with his music), electronic music, much more …

   Of course I can’t list the “all of it” with the kiddos. I can’t keep up with them! But when we are in the car together (getting rarer now that they are all adults) they choose music and I get to hear what they are currently into. I enjoy it.

   I can’t tell you how many times I’ve managed to offend someone merely because of my incredibly creative (?!) sense of humor. Guess they need to see my smile, eh?

   And yes, I try to be as honest as possible. I do exercise great caution when it comes to those I work with though. I’d love to blast a few conductors and a few of my colleagues have stomped on my toes so hard I’d probably enjoy getting back at them. But I won’t go there. Wouldn’t be wise, nor is it kind or necessary.