Ok, I started the ball rolling and was going to let it rest, but I feel
compelled to make a few comments (realizing that this discussion is now
across 2 threads).
1) Franz, please do have the courage of your convictions. You made a
comment that was intended to be critical, even if couched in indirect
terms ( I realize this group includes many non-native English speakers,
but I think the most appropriate internet term is "snarky"). Either you
don't like amateurs posting about their videos or, feeling insecure
about criticizing them yourself, you wish others would do so on the
group. It's OK, I'm a big boy with a thick skin. You mentioned academic
criticism in the other thread; I think you'll find that the lute
amateur world is populated by many people with advanced degrees and
training in other fields that has not left them fragile to both
constructive and harsh words. There are at least 2 other surgeons I
know who play seriously on baroque lute (in addition to several other
doctors and lawyers) and you know that our egos are second to none!
2) I've posted before about my reasons for making utube videos and I'm
not going to rehash it all again (the archives has a good search
function). In brief, it's an excellent tool for self examination, for
sharing my playing with friends who will likely never see me play in
person and, as someone who gets to play in real concerts maybe once or
twice a year, a great motivation to work on new rep. There is no doubt
that putting lute videos out in the ether also introduces people to the
instrument for the first time and I've had much correspondence from
people interested in trying the lute after seeing my videos. And there
IS the ego stroking component, I've never been ashamed to admit that.
Also, like David with his facial expressions, I've picked up that I
breathe too heavily, sometimes sway too much and pinch courses together
with my left hand when I barre, none of which I would have been able to
tell without regular lessons or the videos.
3) Public comments posted in youtube are seldom helpful (either good or
bad). I couldn't care less that some people are offended by the light
bouncing off my bald head, or (sorry Franz) that they don't like me
reading from a score having a stiff elderly demeanor (sorry, in my
profession stiff and elderly don't often go together). Similarly, when
people have commented how great I am and that my playing is better than
Barto, I know it's not true. I thank them and then refer them to videos
and recordings that really ARE great. On the other hand, I have
received many private messages, from both amateurs and professionals,
that had very helpful and constructive criticism. I know I have a long
way to go on the instrument, but looking at my videos from 2 years ago,
1 year ago and 6 months ago, I feel that I've made progress.
4) Can watching yourself play lead to self improvement or does it just
reinforce bad technique? Everyone's different. Watching myself, I think
that the major things I need to work on are
a) consistent tone production, especially controlling the difference in
attack between gut and synthetic in the basses
b) more horizontal playing of longer lines, with greater use of dynamic
control and a lighter touch on the "less important" notes
c) rapid release of tension in the right hand fingers to allow greater
speed in the faster dance movements
d) holding notes longer in the left hand when doing so creates
effective harmonies and suspensions
e) these are the general themes; each piece or style will have it's own
deficiencies (eg. more variety in the inegale for the French baroque
music (thanks Wilke!), a freer strum on my baroque guitar)
5) There are many subscribers to my utube channel who presumably are
interested when I have new videos. Consequently I haven't posted to
this list every time there is a new one and tried to be selective (I
post more on the baroque lute list about baroque specific issues). I
thought my "11 course gut vs 13 course synthetic" video would be
relevant given the multiple discussions about pros and cons of models
and strings. I also thought that so few people have heard Conradi's
music, that an intro might be fun.
6) Finally, sorry you are not a fan on the ning group Stuart, but as I
written in a few moderator posts, the whole "friend" thing is just
about meaningless for a group such as [1]lutegroup.ning.com . It still
has the advantages of being moderated and having the ability to upload
and share files.
Danny
(I'll close the door to my office and have a good cry now <g>)
On Mon, Jan 11, 2010 at 12:46 AM, Franz Mechsner
<[2]franz.mechs...@northumbria.ac.uk> wrote:
Hi Chris,
It's not only about the lute... The issue is really important and goes
deep - how to be open and honest but polite or at least respectful at
the same time. I think we protect ourselves in the first place saying
we are so unsecure and so far away from being an expert that we cannot
utter anything... For instance I mostly do not really dare or bother to
tell the waiter criticism about the meal, not to speak about wine, even
if I really did not enjoy it, because I am not an expert fearing that
actually the meal and/or wine might be absolutely o.k. like that... one
feels so unsecure, but of course openly tells one's neighbours and
compalins to THEM (what does this tell us???) ... hm... About a year
ago I realized only in the evening that my trousers' fly had been open
all afternoon. Many people MUST have seen it, but nobody told me. I
sweared to myself if I would see somebody in the same situation I would
tell him or her. I actually did so once or twice... but recently there
was an extremely beautiful and tastefully clothed woman standing a
little apart from me in the train, with her fly open, not so
really wide, but visible... I did not dare to approach her and tell
her, and said to myself why don't I pretend going to the loo and tell
her on the way... I did not dare... of course with billions of reasons
and excuses in my head telling me why I should NOT tell her... so I
fear she had to realize the thing only in the evening, like my self
once upon a time...
But how to correct oneself and improve if NOBODY
says ANYTHING... instead people create a not-so-comfortable social
situation which you cannot really understand but you feel it... that's
always the big problem with us, actively and passively. Hope that is
not so diverting from the lute.
F
------------------------------------
Dr. Franz Mechsner
Hanse Institute for Advanced Study
Lehmkuhlenbusch 4
D-27753 Delmenhorst/Bremen
GERMANY
E-mail: [3]franz.mechs...@unn.ac.uk
Phone: +49 (0)4221 9160-215
Fax: +49 (0)4221 9160-179
__________________________________________________________________
Von: [4]lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu im Auftrag von chriswilke
Gesendet: Mo 11.01.2010 01:31
An: Ed Durbrow; Daniel Shoskes; LuteNet list; Franz Mechsner
Betreff: [LUTE] Re: Conradi Sonata
Hi Franz,
I always try to include some positive constructive criticism when I
comment on people's things. This is tough to do, though. Things must
be worded very carefully in print or the most well-meaning advice can
sound just mean. Of course, there's always a good glob of personal
preference in there as well.
Chris
--- On Sat, 1/9/10, Franz Mechsner
<[5]franz.mechs...@northumbria.ac.uk> wrote:
> From: Franz Mechsner <[6]franz.mechs...@northumbria.ac.uk>
> Subject: [LUTE] Re: Conradi Sonata
> To: "Ed Durbrow" <[7]edurb...@sea.plala.or.jp>, "Daniel Shoskes"
<[8]kidneykut...@gmail.com>, "LuteNet list" <[9]l...@cs.dartmouth.edu>
> Date: Saturday, January 9, 2010, 9:44 PM
> A little
> observation: as a rule, all performances are commented with
> exalted praize only
> ("Welldonewonderful...") plus silence on anything
> which might be improved or on which one
> might be of different opinion
> - in strong contrast to the discussions
> where we can learn so much from
> each other...
>
>
> --
>
>
> To get on or off this list see list information at
> [10]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
To get on or off this list see list information at
[11]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
--
References
1. http://lutegroup.ning.com/
2. mailto:franz.mechs...@northumbria.ac.uk
3. mailto:franz.mechs...@unn.ac.uk
4. mailto:lute-...@cs.dartmouth.edu
5. mailto:franz.mechs...@northumbria.ac.uk
6. mailto:franz.mechs...@northumbria.ac.uk
7. mailto:edurb...@sea.plala.or.jp
8. mailto:kidneykut...@gmail.com
9. mailto:lute@cs.dartmouth.edu
10. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
11. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
