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RE: Bistro Ichozaka (Tokyo, A Tasteem Review)
oh my! well sir bengy you wrote 4 days ago so you are most likely back by now, how was it and what did you play?
oh my! well sir bengy you wrote 4 days ago so you are most likely back by now, how was it and what did you play?
I did manage to get back last night! Ireland is beautiful, if a little bit wet and cold! All went well, no casualties... we had a whole bunch of wind instrument concerti, but also one violin concerto for myself to play, music from the court of Dresden (I forget the actual theme and how it related to Ireland... I'm only a musician, not the programmer!)
sir bengy! this is so interesting to be able to get a glimpse into the life of a professional musician like this..did you ever do a solo and make a mistake?
That sounds like a nightmare scenario but it has to have happened to some people occasionally right?
Like in any field there is a range of what you might consider mistakes! From the tiny, barely noticeable to the enormous train wrecks to everything in between! Hopefully, as professional musicians, we tend towards the former... But everything is possible, it also depends on how far you push your envelope of safety. Some people stay very safe, but tend to have less excitement in their playing. This is an trap that I think classical music has fallen into. In the effort to minimise risk, we have taken the safer and less exciting route, and because of that I think we have lost our audience. You only need to think of the words that people in general use to describe our music... Engaging, exciting, thrilling are not words that appear often now, however they used to...
sir bengy..but apparently there is enough popularity of your music that you are still in demand or has that been declining?
With society being being bombarded with so much overload for the senses such as video games, music videos and wild special effects movies I was thinking that people in general have had their tastes changed but you think the music itself has changed?
I figured that classical music has always been fairly consistent being performed by great musicians playing great music but then again I know nothing so my assumptions must be off. lol.
All I know is that if I were performing a solo piece in front of a large group I would take the safest way to perform it! but what is your approach?
The idea of playing music from the past is an relatively new (in the last century and half) phenomenon. Before that, pieces would only be played at best for a few months before the performers and audiences moved onto the next thing. Now, with the backwards looking aspect of Classical Music, we have a declining and aging audience base that was further exacerbated by the focus in the past to pitch itself as an elite art form instead of reembracing its roots as a living art form.
There have been many ways to try and address this, ranging from the sex sells approaches to various better attempts. To be honest, I don't know what will succeed whilst keeping integrity intact. The largest problem these days is that audiences don't know the difference between a lemon and a jewel, as the appreciation of music now (not just classical music) has become a matter of marketing and looks rather than substance...
As for your last question, I tend to (hopefully) occupy the more inventive end of given free reign! I find that a focus on avoiding mistakes is a sure fire way to get overwhelmed with doubt and stage fright! You can't please the whole audience, so it is best to play in a way that pleases and engages yourself!
sir bengy! oh how interesting..so concerts from past music masters is a new idea, relatively speaking. Well I wish there was a way to increase people's interest in classical music but if there was an effective way you'd know about it.
So you just go out there and give it your all without worrying about making a mistake! that's the best way to do it I'm sure. I like your approach!
Mistakes will come, we are human... But if the performance is interesting and engaging, the audience tends to forgive better than if it was boring and bland!
howdy back sir bengy! ha! yes sir if the audience would even be able to tell if it was a mistake or not! Right? Probably it wouldn't be obvious enough for a layman to even catch. That's my guess anyway.
But when is your next tour?