Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bobo-Hartley encounter at Ft. Myer
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Posted by Sean Chisham on February 02, 2000 at 10:42:52:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Bobo-Hartley encounter at Ft. Myer posted by A composer on February 02, 2000 at 08:51:27:
The BBS software is being strange, so this is intended as a followup to A composer
Although the music began with the composer and along the Bernstein'ian philosophy should many times be adheared to as closely as possible, the music does indeed belong to the performer and listener. If the music were owned by the composer exclusively, then only the composer's mental performance would be valid. Of course this is not the case.
Music on a printed sheet of paper has gone through so many translations that it is hearsay by the time the the music reaches the ears of a listener. You have a sequence similiar to the following:
- Composer's ideas
- Composer's translation of ideas to compositional medium, usually musical notes and performance indications such as articulations, dynamics, speed, key, time, etc.
- Publisher's translation of composers written music
- Musician's translation of published music, including both printed and historical contexts
- Physical manipulation of a musical device
- Acoustics of environment along with aptitude of performer, mood of listener, and relational life experiences of listener
- Listener's translation of sounds to memories
The only real way a composer can ensure communication of their ideas of a work of music is to keep it locked away in the thoughts of the composer themselves. Once those thoughts are released, they are subject to interpretation by those who are touched by them.
I am not saying that the performer should never try their best to relate the original thought of the composer before the entire process of composition and performance took place. Instead I believe that the performer needs to be willing to take indicated music and relate strong ideas to listeners. Whether that turns into a strict historical display of composer thought recreation or a more free expression of performer ideas is, at the time of performance, totally in the hands of both the performer and the listener.
Music is about communication through sound. Who is communicating with whom varies.
sean
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