On 15 Apr 2005 at 17:50, Christopher Smith wrote: > On Apr 15, 2005, at 3:40 PM, Carl Dershem wrote:
> > How many rock bands can read at all, much less in the more arcane > > clefs and keys? The very use of C-Clefs (generally only tenor and > > alto, any more) is becoming more and more of an academic issue, > > almost like arguing whether ancient greek or latin is a more useful > > language to learn. > > Once again, not true at all for viola in any age, and not true for > other instruments if anyone ever wants to play old repertoire. Also, > any cellist and bassoonist has thorough control of tenor clef, as they > see it constantly in their day-to-day music, both traditional and > modern repertoire. (Trombonists, of course, vary.) C clefs are far > from merely academic, I assure you. Actually, I read Carl as saying that the instruments that use the C clefs are vanishing, and when they vanish, the clefs will cease to be used. I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to respond to the assertion or not. I don't know if Carl finds the possibility regrettable or not, or if he believes there will always be a small group of people preserving the "obsolete" instruments, as there are today with instruments like viola da gamba and fortepiano. If there are, it's a form of elitism, no doubt, which I think contrasts nicely against the alleged elitism of those who find it troubling that a composer writes for viola without understanding alto clef. One person's elitism seems to me to be another person's professionalism. If the latter is no longer respected or allowed, then $deity help us all. -- David W. Fenton http://www.bway.net/~dfenton David Fenton Associates http://www.bway.net/~dfassoc _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
