I guess that some horn players missed a few notes at the Mostly Mozart Festival in New York this past week. But, ouch, what a harsh review.
Personally, I fear that the appreciation of live performance is slowly dying. In a world of recorded music where each sound can be sliced and diced to "perfection," listeners expect that music will always be, well, perfect.
I remember vividly a performance by a player at a Horn Festival years ago. Respected for being top-notch, he was performing the Gliere Horn Concerto, complete with orchestra accompaniment, at one of the opening concerts. Well, he was having a "bad night."
At the finale concert that week, he got up on stage to perform, but what he "performed" was something that absolutely every player in the room had likely wanted to do at least once in their careers (or practice rooms).
He began okay enough, but oops, he started to stomp all over the music. Then he took his horn and THREW it across the floor of the stage. He proceeded to kick it, and stomp on it, and picked it up again only to throw it back down.
At first there were gasped from the audience members, followed by roars of laughter and cheers. Some even applauded the creative performance in action.
What he reminded me was that life is often messy, not perfect, and that we need to be able to laugh at ourselves and not beat ourselves up. Even when we'd love nothing more than to beat our beloved horns to a pulp, we must be kind. Kind to ourselves and kind to our instruments.
So, please, be kind to the horn players. Or they just might come take their frustrations out on you because, honestly, they can't really take it out on their horns.
ARTS / MUSIC
The French Horn, That Wild Card of the Orchestra
By ALLAN KOZINN
Published: August 13, 2008
Orchestral instruments don’t come more treacherous than the French horn, either for the musicians who play it, or, when the going gets rough, for the listeners who find themselves within earshot.
The French Horn, That Wild Card of the Orchestra
By ALLAN KOZINN
Published: August 13, 2008
Orchestral instruments don’t come more treacherous than the French horn, either for the musicians who play it, or, when the going gets rough, for the listeners who find themselves within earshot.
"Just play nice" is what my mother used to say...as I've aged, I've learned the true simplicity of the saying...
ReplyDeleteLinda D. in seattle
Yes, I am another person with horn in my email address (skehorn). My dad sent me an article from the Dallas newspaper years ago that was an interview with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's principal hornist, Greg Hustis. This gentleman is a third generation hornist in his family. The key point he made in the interview was that horn playing is risky business and in what would otherwise seem to be a perfectly performed orchestral concert, it is likely the hornist missed something. So, yes...we put high expectations on these musicians. What would sports be like if we applied the same expecation? Hitting 500 might not seem so good.
ReplyDelete"What he reminded me was that life is often messy, not perfect, and that we need to be able to laugh at ourselves and not beat ourselves up. Even when we'd love nothing more than to beat our beloved horns to a pulp, we must be kind. Kind to ourselves and kind to our instruments."
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I have been trying to say on my blog lately. Thanks for this insightful post.
Oh, Lisa, I will NEVER stop loving live concerts, well, I am an actress and plays rarely are perfect, and that is part of the appeal VS TV or a movie. It is the journey every night, it is the journey.
ReplyDelete