I guess people can play the music any way they want...music is something that is shared by nature.... the music I like is appealing to me in one part because of its history.. I like it the way it is traditionally played.. THATS WHY I like it.. I guess the only thing I would be concerned about is ... if the true tradition of the songs is lost. And yes, I know things evolve... but I just hope that the different traditions are not lost in the scramble. I have been learning about Old Time Appalachian music because I have taken up the fiddle (at 60) and I love the old time pieces... they are wonderful... But the opinion among the people I have learned old time is it is traditional.. and the bluegrass has evolved from the competition and IT is the stuff that is played really fast. The old time music is not always played fast or is it real complicated. That is its beauty... its simplicity... that comes from the people who made it. That is a tratition I hope is never lost... it is one that is ours. The other music I like is irish... and I agree...irish sometimes is played so fast it loses the integrity of the song and become a show off piece for the musicians... But.. it is really fun to take a jig and play it slowly
I also folkdance.. english country, contra... and we just did a dance called Prime Ministers Jig... it had a write up with the syllabus... from the man who created the dance. he said that he was enjoying watching the dance evolve in the respect that as the dance became more known, people had given the different parts of the dance names.. when he had created it, he had not given the different parts name... but he, the creator, was enjoying watching what people did with his dance... so there are all sides to this discussion.... But I am for TRADITION. not being lost On Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 6:53 AM, Ron Geering / Barbara Blair < [email protected]> wrote: > This reminds me of playing in one of Tommy McCarthy's sessions in Milltown > Malbay a few years back. An elderly fiddle player, sitting next to me, > leaned over and asked where i was from. I said I lived near Boston > (actually Cape Cod). "Oh!" says he, "I've heard they play play really fast > there." "Yes" I replied "too fast, I think." > > On Dec 18, 2012, at 7:11 AM, Drewstix45 wrote: > > > Interesting thread. > > There are those that are 'purists' and wish to present this piece of > music, or any other as close to its original form as possible, through > tunings, articulation and tempo.The achievement of this dependant only upon > the skill, both as a performer and musician, of the person playing. > Having a definite tempo whilst practising is both helpful and useful in > understanding the melody and mood of the piece of music being played. It > also helps with improving the skill of the instrument played. Having > someone brave enough to suggest a tempo for this piece of music is a great > help for those starting out, or learning this piece as part of a new > repertoire. > > However, performing the piece of music live in front of an audience is not > about what tempo, tunings, etc. should be used - that is what rehearsals > are for. Performing music live to the public is about engaging them in what > you want to show. And ultimately this is something universal - the beauty > of the music. Whether it be music to listen to - or music to dance to. And > in this forum there is also showing the beauty of the instrument played as > well. > > To what extent you are able to engage your audience is learnt through > experience - being flexible to adapt - the example given of speeding up or > slowing down the tempo of the music is a skill much needed in dance music; > especially if the beer is flowing. You can only do this by knowing the > music you are playing. And this comes from rehearsing and listening to the > other musicians you are playing with. > > On the other hand, there are those that just 'go for it'. Sometimes it > works, sometimes it doesn't. That's live music. > > We can all be intelligent and knowledgeable about this instrument and > music - myself included, but as someone wrote, 'the true sign of > intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Music evolves, traditional > as well - even changes time signatures and tempo. That is the creative > process - imagination - having and wanting to say something. > > Tempo is a tool to aid in this process > > > > > > -- > 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. > > > -- > 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. > -- 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.
