Duke Ellington used to say that he aspired to be a dilettante.
Charles Ives father is reported to have said that music begins when the last
person who's trying to make a living from it dies.
When ased what he thought of the playing of Miles Davis, Cecil Taylor is
reputed to have said, "He doesn't play badly for a millionaire."
To paraphrase Count Basie: I don't worry about virtuosity. I do what I like
to do. If I'm a virtuoso, that's great. If not, I'm doing what I like to do.
Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: "Christopher Stetson" <cstet...@email.smith.edu>
To: "lutelist Net" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 9:04 AM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: There is a traitor in our midst!
Yes, Rob and all, I too take delight in all the music I play, therefore a
dilettante. Not only that, I might even say that I love it, making me an
amateur (though occasionally someone is generous enough to pay me for it)!
I wear both titles with pride, and I'm not sure when these sobriquets
became denigrating, though I could guess.
I also appreciate the virtuosity, and concomitant hours of concentration
and work put in, by those who are brave enough to depend on their music to
make a living. Also agreed about simple pieces played simply, as I think
my virtuoso friends would, too.
Frankly, I think this tension may date back to the beginnings of music
(and hence "humanity"?) itself. Once we gain some proficiency, we tend to
cease being interested by the simple music that captivated us previously.
I assume that the interest of virtuosic musicians in virtuosic music is
genuine, i.e. born of love and delight, and therefore not to be denigrated
either.
I also think that "Early Music", along with "Folk Music" has, in it's
accessibility to musicians of many levels, made a tremendous contribution
in bridging the gulf.
I'm a child of the '60's: "Everything is beautiful in it's own way."
Chris.
Rob MacKillop <luteplay...@googlemail.com> 1/18/2009 2:21 AM >>>
Christopher, I must be a dilettante. I'm certainly no virtuoso,
although I have noticed that playing a simple piece simply is often
harder than playing something fast with lots of notes leaping around.
I've reached a useful level of technique on plucked instruments -
useful in the sense that I can express myself. If that is to be
denigrated, then so be it. I'm happy.
Rob
2009/1/18 Christopher Stetson <[1]cstet...@email.smith.edu>
Oh, and this too; you have to be able to live with being thought of
(or actually being) something of a dilettante. Or, as a gentle
friend of mine put it, someone who "prefers diversity to
virtuosity."
C.
--
References
1. mailto:cstet...@email.smith.edu
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