Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Pastimes : SI Grammar and Spelling Lab -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Paul Viapiano who wrote (1240)	5/5/1998 7:57:00 PM
From: jbe	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 4710

Paul, your remark about your fellow musicians really brought back memories! I guess some things never change.... My first husband (also late) was an extraordinary classical guitarist. Not only were his technique and his knowledge of the reportoire extraordinary, but he was unique among classical guitarists in that he could really, really read music. Back in those days (boy, I'm really showing my age), classical guitar was not taught in conservatories in this country, or in much of Europe. It wasn't considered a "serious" instrument, unlike the lute, which WAS considered "serious." So most guitarists, following in the footsteps of that old fraud Segovia (whose proudest boast was that he read music only with the greatest difficulty), tried to turn their handicap into a virtue. My husband, on the other hand, was from the USSR, where the classical guitar was not discriminated against. He was a graduate of the Kharkov conservatory, and so could read scores just as well as any violinist, pianist, bassoonist, or whatever. But at guitar society meetings in this country, people would just gape to see him open up an unfamiliar piece of music and play it off by sight. They were flummoxed. They didn't know what to do! So, he was dubbed by the envious "the cold Russian." The "cold Russian" indeed! A contradiction in terms, if I may say so! Why is it that true competence makes people uneasy? I repeat, some things never change.... jbe

To: Paul Viapiano who wrote (1240)	5/5/1998 8:15:00 PM
From: Rambi	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 4710

Paul! Hi! I KNEW your name sounded familiar! You posted once at Rambi and I thought your last name was a pseudonym when I found out you were a musician! Regarding classical training, I'm a pianist and trained vocalist and have been made to feel almost embarrassed to admit it. Right after college, a hundred years ago, I sang back-up vocals for a rock group. The lead guitarist had no formal training at all. He went on to be a studio musician, and then very, very successful as a producer, then owned his own studio, was a VP with a huge record company, and even married a really beautiful woman. At one time, in our early days, I said, don't you think you should learn music? ANd he replied that No, he thought it would ruin his natural aptitude. Well, given his success (and the lack of mine!) I can't argue, but I know in my heart that nothing is ever spoiled or ruined by adding knowledge and understanding. (Although I will admit that once you learn opera, you're not much good at back-up.) I have never before equated this type of thinking (preferred musical ignorance) with writing or grammar but you know, it does equate. One of the current educational theories is that children need to be creative first and not worry about structure and grammar and spelling and punctuation. Garbage. I've been a piano teacher too long to believe that letting a child play as he likes will get him very far. Children need to know the boundaries that surround their creative efforts. Only then can they break free of them. I believe that's true of writing, also.