[Harp-L] Re: How We Can Save the Chromatic Harmonica from Extinction

[Bobbie Giordano <bobbg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 06:29 PM 10/10/2005, Cara Cooke wrote:
>Speaking of instruments fading into obscurity, anyone know any
>hurdy-gurdy or viol da gamba players? (Actually, I do, but they
>are few and far in-between.) ;-)
>Cara

Funny you should ask... you just missed the Over the Water Hurdy-Gurdy 
Festival in Washington State a couple weeks 
ago!!  ;)  http://www.overthewater.org/festival
Although the largest of its kind in the USA, by far, the "biggie" is the 
huge 5-day hurdy-gurdy festival of St. Chartier, France!

Something I'd really love for SPAH to do is coincide our festival sometimes 
with other such instrumental festivals, like the Over The Water, or maybe 
the budding [3rd year last month] Montreal Recorder Fest, or a fiddle fest, 
banjo fest, guitar fest, or the International Tuba Festival also held in 
August?  [Ok... maybe not the tuba fest.]  :)  But I think it would be cool 
to do something like that and schedule some events combining the 
instruments together.  It would be another way to showcase the musical 
strengths and diversity of harmonicas to musicians of other instruments, 
and encourage harmonicists to explore new territories playing with other 
instrumentalists.

Thanks, Cara, for the compliment, but also, as usual, for making some of my 
points more clearly and with far fewer words than I do!  [It's a curse, I 
tell ya!]  ;)  One other thing you touched on in your post is something 
I've often thought about...

>That the harmonica is easy to learn to play is a strength worth
>exploiting, but it is hard to master (a challenge).
<...>
>That is why, through all adversity, the harmonica remains popular
>today. Anyone can try it, and skill cannot be denied, regardless
>on what instrument it is demonstrated.

Many people, harp players and nonplayers alike, seem to think the low-cost 
aspect of the instrument, which no doubt largely accounts for the virtually 
universal access to harmonicas, supports the prevalent attitude that a 
harmonica is less worthy than other instruments, that it can't be taken 
seriously, because any simpleton can get ahold of one and make noises 
roughly sounding like music.  And as you say, Cara, this IS basically true, 
but it is also a non sequitur.  Many masterful musicians have taken this 
common instrument to uncommon musical heights.

It's that quirky little aspect about the instrument that makes me rather 
proud it is just that... a cheap, toylike contraption, so easily 
affordable, diatonic OR chromatic, that it is the ideal device for 
introducing people, of ALL ages, to the joys of making music!  How freakin' 
cool is THAT??  I love it!

But, it likewise means there is this stealth factor about a harp that is 
devilishly neat, as well... it slyly draws you in via the seduction of 
being able to play real music, then hooks you when you discover the vast 
range of hidden tones, tricks, and sheer vocalizing variety that makes it 
one of the most versatile musical instruments aside from the human 
voice!  No wonder we harmonica players seem a little odd sometimes to 
folks... we've found out how powerful the instrument is and can't help 
ourselves for loving it... it's an addiction, is what it is!!  :)

Finally, tho', there was this salient statement:

>The only thing we really need to do for the harmonica,
>regardless of model, is present it in the very best light
>we can and demonstrate to the world what it can do when
>played by a talented, skilled musician.

That's it in a nutshell.  Ok, I'm afraid I'll never be that sort of 
vanguard for the harmonica; I frankly do not practice enough to ever get 
there.  But, I do enjoy promoting the instrument, and playing it at my own 
modest level of skill, because I just love it, I don't know why... guess 
it's just that hook's got into me, too, and I'm addicted.

But, it's a good addiction.  ;)

As for Cara, I've heard her a bunch, and I have to say I think she's been 
hopelessly incurable for quite some time now... lucky for us!!

Bobbie
Certified Member of Harmonicas Anonymous