Posted by Anthony on July 17, 2002 at 19:33:49:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: John Williams Tuba Concerto posted by Jim Andrada on July 17, 2002 at 16:49:12:
Isn't it astounding, the input we get from non-tubists?
On a recent recital I played a Telemann Transcription that required almost more technique than I could supply. My teacher and I worked on it for months, and I tried to make it as musical as possible. After the performance, I got tons of compliments, mostly on technique, and even a few on my musicality. I noticed my fiancee, a violin/violist(who will one day be a household name :) ) was being silent, so I asked her what she thought (She's a baroque fanatic who will be doing her doctorate in Musicology through Wesleyan). Myself, I never particularly enjoyed baroque music, so even though I worked hard on making myself sound musical, I didn't give a second thought to the fact I was playing a baroque piece, which had a strictly defined style. She congratulated me on a good musical performance, but illustrated how "wrong" my interpretation was.
I don't particularly agree that there's a right or wrong when it comes to interpretation, but I find it fascinating how different musicians perceive performances. She, coincidentally, cringes when she hears a certain recording of the Meditation from Thaïs played on the tuba- a reaction that's been almost unanimous among violinist to whom I've exposed this recording.
Anthony "who performed a Baroque* piece today for 50 6-11th graders" Labelle
*that is, if PDQ Bach's "Dutch Suite" can be considered baroque!
(on a side note, today is Peter Schickele's birthday)