Good points, Hoffming. I will say that playing the music that suits oneself is the 'row to hoe'. As old John Hartford said, if you do that, at least you haven't wasted your time.
I realize I'm taking a turn and following another angle on the discussion, but here goes... I'm all for enjoying oneself too in whatever form it takes. But I don't reckon I'd plug in a ghetto blaster and play loud rockin' music at an oldtime festival, even if it *is* your right to have a good time. Seems a little on the borderline of snubbing your nose at your neighbors. Of course, there's no way to please some folks and it sounds like you had your hands full with your 'curmudgeon'.This issue is a difficult one for me. While I feel it's every person's right to do whatever they want, I do protest having my privacy invaded by subwoofers at every bend in the road. Is there a point where I have a right to say, "Shut that shit off and quit forcing me to listen to what you wanna listen to", or is there not? Sometimes I get to thinking that we as a race have begun to be intimidated by silence. Okay, I am done too. Protestatater On Jan 8, 9:00 am, Mike Hoffmann <[email protected]> wrote: > I can't listen to that Thile interpretation of the Bach prelude in E > major that was recently posted on the Cafe and think of an ill word to > say about his playing. He has definitely interpreted very old-time > music beautifully and in a technically wonderful manner. I used to > trump tradition over musical technique, but then I came to realize > that I do not have the time invested in this music to make a judgement > about any professional or other hobbyist who also plays music. Life > is short, if anybody is forcing themselves to play music only to > impress others and not to impress themselves and they don't eventually > tire of it then they have found a perfectly acceptable way to impress > others and I am fine with that. If that is what keeps them ticking > more power to them! > > I am definitely more of a traditionalist, but at an old-time festival > me and some friends were taking a break from playing music. We set up > a makeshift tennis court and put on an old cassette of an 80's dead > show loud enough for us to hear in our little corner of the > campground, the Blues Ghetto. One of the festival goers complained > about the electric music. Thankfully, one of the gentlemen who put on > the festival reinforced our right to enjoy ourselves which we did > briefly before retiring to the campfire for more old-time tunes. > > Later we were playing some Donovan music on a pump organ, banjo, > mandolin, harmonica, and 12-string. The same gentlemen commented that > we were wasting our time not playing old-time music. Luckily, this > old curmudgeon didn't bother too much more. While discussing the > situation we realized that our generation of old-time music is > separated from early psychedelic rock by the same amount of time that > the first wave of old-time revivalist are separated from the Skillet > Lickers and Leake County Revelers. What will my kids be doing in > their 20's!!?? > > In this young man's opinion people can do what they want, without > willingly harming others. I would love to one day play some > Mississippi tunes with one of these beautifully bowing young fiddlers! > > Also, it has been said many times, but Old-time is often pigeon-holed > as dance music, which some of it certainly is. For me, other types of > old-time music are definitely parlor music, listening music, and just > plain enjoying music. I enjoy playing breakdowns, waltzes, and the > such, but I also really enjoy playing the vaudeville type tunes which > many of the old-time bands I enjoy put out on record. I also love old > blues music. I have been exhilarated playing for a dance, but I have > also been exhilarated busking on the street and playing for a seated > crowd. It is a good thing Mississippi John Hurt didn't focus all of > his energy on backing up dance bands! > > Okay, I am done. > Mike
-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" 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/taterbugmando?hl=en.
