Almost forgot to post this. Add comments here about the Christopher Small "Musicking" reading.
Reposting from earlier in the week:
Friday we'll be talking about Christopher Small's idea of "musicking"--redefining music as a verb rather than a noun. We'll read the text of this lecture. It's full of ideas. Lots and lots to think through and start to absorb, so you may want to get started soon. There's also a fabulous book if you want to explore the ideas more. Highly recommended. Christopher Small's ideas have had as profound an effect on who I am as a musician as has the work of Arthur Hull and David Darling. (And all those classical people, too.)
I love this idea that the performers are the ones really involved in the ideas behind the music. Yeah, the listener feels something, too, but it's because the performer is evoking that feeling or sensation within the listener. Leonid and I were talking about that in my lesson. He was trying to get my to put into words how I was trying to make him feel. It was really hard to do, but eventually he figured it out by listening to me. It's amazing what music can transmit from one person to another without any words or other "common" forms of communication.
ReplyDeleteI liked how he talked about the relationships between musicians, conductors, and the audience. I liked how he described how each group makes up a specific part of the musicking experience. It is interesting how the conductor is the only person who knows what the music is in its entirety. The part where he describes different audience relationships was interesting and shows how the interaction between the performers and the audience has changes as time has passed.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Matt concerning the performers and their complete involvement within musicking. I enjoy how he really takes a stab at the traditional qualities of western classical music, and keeps sending forth the thought that western classical music is not the only type of music out there! Musicking involves everyone and everyone's respective culture. Whatever one person may bring ot the table, everyone else does not have to like it, but they must respect the difference in custom/tradition. Personally, I think musicking should be integrated more often than not in our everyday lives. People are required to remain respective of each other, change will occur, and a person's life will just be enriched by this idea of musicking.
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