[Harp-L] Re : Virtuosity

["" <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Airborne Wind Walkers , Talkers & Stalkers :


Fellow colleague Michael Peloquin comments made me write on this issue of who is and or who isn't when it comes to virtuosity .

His partial comment .

excerpt :" OK-enough with the sweeping generalizations!
A question for y'all:
Who is the official person in charge of declaring virtuosity and natural
talent?

I have seen players websites that declare them a virtuoso.
What is an unnatural talent? Is the unnatural talent false or less than the
natural talent? "

======================================================================

About a year or so back I got into a discussion with another 
" seasoned wood " player over something that does parallel this issue . We discussed the talent of two real living breathing monster musicians " Yehudi Menuhin & Joe Venuti "and their respective musical choices . Please take a moment and read a little of these legends , they helped me in ways I can not begin to explain . Besides these two we also made comments of Louis Armstrong and other musical giants .

Menuhin :

< http://www.culturekiosque.com/klassik/features/rhemenuhin_e.html >

Venuti :

< http://www.redhotjazz.com/venuti.html >

The argument :

Jazz verses Classical compositions and the players .

Difference :

Creative fly by the seat of your pants Jazz explosions of joy and intensity improv's and the unbelievable work of a time drawn out painstakingly executed beautiful classical arrangement .

Conclusion :

Both are some of strongest examples of human accomplishment in music and as diverse to one another as an apple to an orange and both delicious , I can't make up my mind which I like best :)

My dos centavos on this virtuosity thang :

In that other forum came the arguments of who is an virtuoso and of course the camps for Stevie Wonder & the camps for every other chromatic harmonica hero I have , chimed in with why he's not this and why thier hero was better popped up endlessly with neither camp making any gain on convincing the other of who's hero's were the better . It read  like a school play yard " my dad can whip your dad " stuff after a while -- and that became extremely boring to most of the forum I bet .

My favorite 60's quote from Steven Stills song :
 
" For What It's Worth " 

is very appropriate here 

Quote : Nobody's Right If Everybody's Wrong

If you like a certain " virtuoso " he/she " is always going to be there in your books as that virtuoso and noting short of them murdering some one ( and sometimes not even that will change some peoples minds ) will change your feelings .

What is important here ? What is the forums main goal ?

I feel this way : 

Argueing why some one is not or is , should not be the issue , the issue is getting out information on these people to share with this forum and then in doing so you just might be able to expose some one to another virtuoso and expand their musical knowledge base as hopefully someone will do the same to you and improve and expand your musical knowledge base . In other words , try to make it a " Win/Win situation for everyone here . " You will most definitely catch more flys with sugar than with vinegar " my friends is an old tried but true statement .

When " seasoned wood " players like Michael Peloquin read comments that wreak with emotion ( and that is a good thing most times mind you :) on subjects like who is or isn't a virtuoso , his hair stands on end and so does mine and I bet many more harmonica musicians who are  getting to the level of being able to judge who is a great player via the time they have spent learning their instrument - - and as the expression goes  " seasoned wood " takes time to get and so does being a great anthing .

I do agree with my fellow peer  Michael Peloquin that there is no panel of experts that holds this title of " Virtuoso Judge(s) " , ... the real judges are in the audience  and  buying the music of their favorite virtuoso(s) ..........


When you have a favorite player you consider a virtuoso , expose and share this person to others and if your smart , and keep a keen eye and ear open and be alert , then maybe some one might just turn you on to a virtuoso you have never heard of or never considered a virtuoso before .

Sincerely :


Hurricane Ramón

aka :

Party_Man1@xxxxxxxxxx   


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