Re: Formal musicians

[violet@slip.net]

Len wrote:
>Anyone remember the old MASH episode where Charles has
>a patient whose hand was amputated, and in fact, was
>a concert pianist?  Charles tells him, (paraphrased),
>"I studied and trained and I can play the notes, but the
>music is not in me to come out whereas you with only
>one hand can still bring the notes to life...."

Len, your entire post on this was very eloquent.  I would only like to add
that my boyfriend and I were talking about the whole subject of music
theory the other night and I had been telling him of this discussion.  He
pointed out that music theory and notation is only a language, NOT a set of
rules.  Just as with any language, it offers a sensible way to read music
and to write it down so others can play it, but it certainly doesn't tell
you what can or can't be SAID.
Nowhere does it say, "You are not to do this."  This is why it's music
"theory."  Nothing is set in stone.  Also, Kim reminded me that John Cage
had the last word on this topic long ago, as far as he's concerned:  John
said that a piece consists of the first event that happens on the first
page and the last event that happens on the last page, and everything that
falls in between is music.  I like that.  Anyone can say "This is music,"
and clink their water glass with a spoon, and it is so.  Someone also
remined me of the saying about "art" art (i.e., paintings and such):  Put a
frame around it and it's art.  This is true of music also.

Violet
xoxox

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