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As a conductor I do a lot of score memorization, which is accomplished =
through structural analysis. I guess I unconsciously do the same thing =
with shakuhachi music. In fact, there are remarkable structural similariti=
es between Bach's solo violin pieces and some honkyoku. Hilary Tann first =
pointed that out to me a couple of years ago.
=20
I guess the bottom line is that memorization is a difficult skill for most =
of us no matter what we're memorizing. I certainly enjoy playing from =
memory much more than following music as I can "experience" the music in a =
more personal way. This is entirely a personal preference.
=20
Gerard
=20
Dr. Gerard Yun,
Professor of Music, Southern Utah University
Music Director/Conductor, Orchestra of Southern Utah
=20
Southern Utah University Music Department
Cedar City, UT 84720
Office Phone: 435-586-7893
Home Phone: 435-865-1664
Email: yun@suu.edu=20
>>> Dan Gutwein <dfgutw@wm.edu> 11/08/01 12:22PM >>>
Listeners may experience Bach's cello suites with more directional=20
ambiguity than Bach's more fully scored pieces because
most listeners aren't in the process of looking for memorization cues =
and=20
haven't been trained to follow the "implied" harmonic
structure. When comparing the task of memorizing a Bach solo cello suite =
to=20
that of memorizing Japanese music for shakuhachi,
I think performers may have a leg-up with Bach.
Bach solo cello suites (as well as most Western music) have a set of=20
hierarchically nested harmonic substructures
that serve as "grouping mechanisms" for the purposes of memorization. =
I'm=20
not placing a positive or negative
value on this in comparison to the way honkyoku or pieces like Kurokami =
are=20
organized, but I'm tempted to think that
the absence of harmonic substructures in shakuhachi music makes it more=20
appropriate for meditation but more difficult
to memorize.
At 05:20 PM 11/08/2001 +0000, you wrote:
>>Shakuhachi music seems to be unique, it has that detatched
>>quality of Buddhism. It's not strophic like pop music,
>>doesen't have melodies that get stuck in one's mind, nor
>>has text that that the melody hangs upon as western music.
>
>Not that shakuhachi music isn't unique - but there are many peices in =
the=20
>canon of western music that provide the listener with a comparable=20
>experience. The best example I can think of are Bach's solo chello =
suites.
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp=
=20
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<DIV><FONT size=3D1></FONT>As a conductor I do a lot of score memorization,=
which=20
is accomplished through structural analysis. I guess I unconsciously =
do=20
the same thing with shakuhachi music. In fact, there are remarkable=
=20
structural similarities between Bach's solo violin pieces and some=20
honkyoku. Hilary Tann first pointed that out to me a couple of =
years=20
ago.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I guess the bottom line is that memorization is a difficult skill for =
most=20
of us no matter what we're memorizing. I certainly enjoy playing =
from=20
memory much more than following music as I can "experience" the music in a =
more=20
personal way. This is entirely a personal preference.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Gerard</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dr. Gerard Yun,<BR>Professor of Music, Southern Utah University<BR>Mus=
ic=20
Director/Conductor, Orchestra of Southern Utah</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Southern Utah University Music Department<BR>Cedar City, UT 84720<BR>O=
ffice=20
Phone: 435-586-7893<BR>Home Phone: 435-865-1664<BR>Email: =
<A=20
href=3D"mailto:yun@suu.edu">yun@suu.edu</A><BR><BR>>>> Dan =
Gutwein=20
<dfgutw@wm.edu> 11/08/01 12:22PM >>><BR>Listeners may =
experience=20
Bach's cello suites with more directional <BR>ambiguity than Bach's more =
fully=20
scored pieces because<BR>most listeners aren't in the process of looking =
for=20
memorization cues and <BR>haven't been trained to follow the "implied"=20
harmonic<BR>structure. When comparing the task of memorizing a Bach solo =
cello=20
suite to <BR>that of memorizing Japanese music for shakuhachi,<BR>I =
think=20
performers may have a leg-up with Bach.<BR><BR>Bach solo cello suites (as =
well=20
as most Western music) have a set of <BR>hierarchically nested harmonic=20
substructures<BR>that serve as "grouping mechanisms" for the purposes =
of=20
memorization. I'm <BR>not placing a positive or negative<BR>value on =
this=20
in comparison to the way honkyoku or pieces like Kurokami are <BR>organized=
, but=20
I'm tempted to think that<BR>the absence of harmonic substructures in =
shakuhachi=20
music makes it more <BR>appropriate for meditation but more difficult<BR>to=
=20
memorize.<BR><BR>At 05:20 PM 11/08/2001 +0000, you=20
wrote:<BR><BR><BR><BR>>>Shakuhachi music seems to be unique, it has =
that=20
detatched<BR>>>quality of Buddhism. It's not strophic like =
pop=20
music,<BR>>>doesen't have melodies that get stuck in one's mind,=20
nor<BR>>>has text that that the melody hangs upon as western=20
music.<BR>><BR>>Not that shakuhachi music isn't unique - but there =
are=20
many peices in the <BR>>canon of western music that provide the =
listener with=20
a comparable <BR>>experience. The best example I can think of =
are=20
Bach's solo chello=20
suites.<BR>><BR>>____________________________________________________=
_____________<BR>>Get=20
your FREE download of MSN Explorer at <A=20
href=3D"http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp">http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp<=
/A><BR><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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