There's much in this discussion that I've found interesting, at least in
part because I too am an early music veteran, and abandoned it as a way
to make a living over 30 years ago because I was so tired of fighting
the battles. I understand Bruno's viewpoint and there was a time when I
might have said much the same thing, but one reason that I never do is
the consideration that I wasn't actually there in the middle ages and
the renaissance. I can make guesses about how it might have sounded and
others can too, but we can never really know, so there are pretty sharp
limits to the judgments we can make. Many careers have been made and
lost in battles over this unprovable question. Other list members have
spoken very well indeed about suiting the performance to the venue and
about the distinction between a musical ideal and "musica practica;" at
a Shakespeare festival where I used to play there was this one couple
who came every year from several states away apparently for the express
purpose of sniping at us for using plastic reeds in our Krummhorns.
When your job is to play several shows per day in variable weather
conditions on a large number of instruments, something of a bargain has
to be made between authenticity and practicality.
What I've found truly encouraging, though, is that there's a clear
consensus in favor of civility. What Bruno said was really quite gentle
by internet standards, and the response to it has been even more so,
while making the collective shock perfectly clear. No hint of a flame
war. Nice.
- Marty
--
Martin Lodahl of Auburn, California
UNIX Pro, Musician, Motorcyclist
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "hurdygurdy" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy
The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at
http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new
subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
