From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V2 #23 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Saturday, April 15 2000 Volume 02 : Number 023 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] Kate Rusby, and the technicalities of music. [Buffy Subject: [RS] Kate Rusby, and the technicalities of music. Today's Subjects: ----------------- _SUBJECTS-AUTHORS_ Hi folks, Just another vote for Kate Rusby sounding like an angel. I still can't believe that she played in THAILAND - of all places - a matter of weeks before I went to live there for two whole years (without her ever returning). What are the chances of that? I'm interested to know she doesn't fancy flying, Kerry. Didn't know that, I guess it could be the reason for her not having toured in the U.S. Katie's right, though, her voice DOES just kill you. I'd never heard of her until I met my husband 3 years ago, and he described her as having "the kind of voice that reaches straight into your body and tugs out your heart"....rather dramatic, and I can assure you that the experience of listening to her sing is a great deal more pleasant ;), but I found out what he meant. It's the ONLY occasion on which I can gloat over Americans on the list - I get to see her again this summer, probably 3 or 4 sets actually, at the Cambridge folk fest. For now, all I can do is keep spreading the word, as they say - I've got Kerry and Katie hooked, anyone else willing to give her a try? :) As for the 'superior music debate' - ooooooh, interesting. One part of my brain knows and understands what Elwestrand is saying.....but only because I think some part of me USED to think along those lines. However, as Vanessa said, it's the criteria by which you're measuring 'good music' that are up for question. I loved the analogy of us all sitting round listening to techincally perfected chord sequences......;)))) Hilarious. No, seriously, I think a lot my thoughts on this have stemmed from my TEACHING music. Having been classically trained on several instruments for a LONG time, and also having lots of training in jazz, you have this idea that it's the most important thing to pass on to kids, to get them to a REALLY GOOD techincal standard, so that they can utilise that to make whatever music they want. Except.....it doesn't work like that. I had a breakthrough when teaching a 7-year old kid the piano. He was really struggling with even the basic concepts of the names of notes, and basic rhythms, things you usually master in a few weeks. His head started to drop and he looked so dejected. So - I stopped. And I said, right, let's do this. And we sat there, and we learnt the theme to Titanic - his favourite music at the time - purely by ear and by copying what I was playing by sight. At the end of the lesson, he went home a different child. He played it to his Dad - "What have you DONE? He won't stop playing the piano!!!!" - and was totally revitalised by the whole experience - he then wanted to know the names of notes, basic rhythms, etc, involved in Titanic - ironic, since that's what slowed him down in the process. I have possibly less interest in Celine Dion's music than any other artist on the planet! (Sorry, Celine.) I never want to hear the theme tune to Titanic again, if I can help it. And yet, this kid went home absolutely loving music. I hope to give him a good, solid foundation in music theory to complement it - but if he doesn't get that, at least he understands on some level how powerful music can be whether you play, study or listen to it. I too, Elwestrand, get a certain kick from playing of an incredibly high technical standard. Seeing Trinity Choir at Cambridge sing Bach for a whole evening, not long ago, knocked me for six. But I get just as BIG a kick - and as intense an emotional experience - from seeing a Richard concert, a brass band concert or at times even a kiddies' school concert, where the kids can only play a few notes competently but are loving any second of it. The technical difference is there, for sure, but you can't compare them as better than each other. I think you probably understand that too....giving you the benefit of the doubt! I HOPE I'm losing my tendencies to be a musical snob, which are probably lurking there somewhere. I do understand what you're saying in a sense - but there's a lot more to music than reading the dots. I USED not to understand that - since I always found it easy to read the dots myself, and always thought it intrinsic to playing well - but there it is. Jazz players probably more than most understand that! Phew. I don't EVER remember posting this much before. I apologise. I'm off to York (300 miles away from this computer) for a few days, to look for houses to buy - how annoying that I'll miss this discussion! Buffy ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V2 #23 **********************************