I agree with you here Tom - that pitch (and tone) has a direct impact on=20
one's experience to the music. One can call it spiritual - or sublime - o=
r=20
just an experience. For me at least, when I hear something that's complet=
ely=20
out of tune in unexpected ways, I have one experience - if it's out of tu=
ne=20
in consistent ways, it's another - and if it's in tune, it's another (not=
=20
necessary the best - just different).
I can say that when I play in tune (with the desired tone AND pace), it j=
ust=20
feels "right". There's alot of ways for me to play Tamuke and have it sou=
nd=20
like a complaining cat. But once in awhile, it clicks and I feel that I'm=
=20
"in" the piece - as if the piece is expressing itself through me.
At the first Vancouver Shakuhachi Festival, there was a panel of all the=20
teachers to answer questions. I asked why pitch is stressed in the Dokyok=
u=20
school (not that it's not stressed in other schools - just that Dokyoku=20
seems to be less tolerant of off-pitch playing).
One part of an answer stuck out for me:
Kakizakai-sensei was explaining his perspectives on the question - then=20
added that one can reach one's spiritual goals by playing off pitch - tho=
ugh=20
playing in pitch is a short-cut to the supposed spiritual goal (rather th=
an=20
being the reverse (correct pitch equals lack of focus on the spiritual)).
Intriguing answer!
For me, I suspect it has to do with our fundamental experience to sound. =
We=20
all have had a certain "reaction" to certain pieces by certain players.=20
Perhaps a piece that brought us into playing the instruments in the first=
=20
place - what were the qualities of that experience?
Duke.
>From: Thomas Hare <thare@Princeton.EDU>
>Reply-To: Shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu
>To: Shakuhachi@communication.ucsd.edu
>Subject: Re: [Shaku] RE: shakuhachi V1 #564
>Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 10:46:48 -0700
>
>My point is not that a precise half-tone is necessarily desirable in all=
=20
>shakuhachi music. As Bruno says, one must adjust to the situation. The=
=20
>point is, one must have the proficiency to be able to adjust to the=20
>situation, and to produce a half-tone or less or more, depending on=20
>circumstances. My frustration in the conversation so far is what I read=
to=20
>be the assumption that, especially in honkyoku, what matters is some sor=
t=20
>of spiritual engagement rather than technical competence. I doubt that =
the=20
>two are, in the end, separable.
>
>Tom Hare
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