From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Tue Jul 02 2002 - 00:30:44 MDT
Damien writes
> >But exactly to what have I been listening in the last half
> >hour? Not physical musicians, to be sure, but a *digital*
> >recording!
>
> I assume you mean a CD,
yes
> rather than (what would be *really* interesting, I think, in the
> context of your argument) a synthesizer that took the cold, bare
> score and transformed it into sublime sounds.
Yes---that approach emphasizes that even what a talented performer
adds could be "mechanized". (I use the quotes there since in the
final analysis, we're mechanical too in this context.)
Or in principle so much could be added to the score that human
(or synthesizer) interpretation would be redundant. I'm always
amazed at how far ordinary sheet music and scores go already in
this direction. I do wonder if any culture besides Western has
made such a grand reduction of music. If not, it leads to further
speculation that the very idea itself is a part of Western culture.
> It's exactly the fact (I assume) that a human performer adds all
> kinds of tacit knowledge and passion, as well as random deviations
> that could be added to the synthesizer program, which makes Jackie
> du Pré's Elgar tear-making and hair-raising.
Never heard of her, and probably couldn't think of any Elgar beyond
Pomp and Circumstance and one other thing he wrote. But Google
provides
"Yesterday afternoon I went to see the movie "Hilary and Jackie", showing at a cinema in
Kendal Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is about the life of the famous British
cellist Jacqueline Du Pre.
Emily Watson did a marvellous job playing the part of Jacqueline Du Pre. Before filming
the movie she studied the cello for a few weeks, and watched film of Jacqueline playing so
that she could mimic the energetic bodily movements. She deserves an Oscar for this.
The movie describes Jacqueline's childhood, her relationship with her sister, winning
musical competitions. Some of her concert tours to Russia and Germany must have been
stressful experiences, going to a strange country alone at such a young age. Maybe this
had an adverse effect on her.
The movie showed how the relationship with her sister became very strained after Hilary
got married, and she wanted to share Hilary's husband."
There was more about how good she was. Or is.
Lee
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