[HANASHIR:16542] Re: "Quality" and the teachings of Danny Maseng

[Adrian Durlester <adrian...>]

That's all well and good Danny, but I'll respond to you the same as I did to
others--
 
who is the arbiter of what quality is?
 
Your own Chattanooga example backs up my own answer--it is and should be
amcha, and NOT the musicians themselves. That is what is troubling me about
this whole discussion. I hear a hue and cry from the artists that they
should be the ones making the standard, and hear them bemoaning things that
are of less quality in their opinion--yet failing to understand the
underlying passion of the person they are criticizing.
 
The musicians are entitled, within their fraternity, to have their own ideas
of what is and is not quality, and to have and share mutual respect, but it
is not up to them to decide for amcha what quality is. And that is the nub
of my argument. I certainly never suggested that we shouldn't strive to do
our best. I am simply arguing about who has the right to decide when someone
is not doing their best!
 
Let's take an example from your own history. Sometimes, what  campers got
from a simple open talent show is as much value to them and the audience as
was an exquisite performance from the Tiferet campers. Both have their
place, both are needed. And yes, in both cases, we should expect people to
do their best. But I was equally enthralled and entertained by both. Just as
I can sometimes enjoy a HS musical production more than a high-priced
professional one. 
 
Are we perhaps confusing "quality" with "pride of effort" ? One may put all
their heart and soul into an effort, yet another person may not find that
effort of quality. And my point is, who are we to make that kind of
judgment? That judgment is best left to amcha, and ultimately, to the One
Great Judge, whose name should be forever blessed.
 
-Adrian

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org [mailto:owner-hanashir (at) 
shamash(dot)org] On
Behalf Of DMASENG (at) aol(dot)com
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 6:05 PM
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
Subject: [HANASHIR:16541] Re: "Quality" and the teachings of Danny Maseng


Hello all,
 
I just wanted to respond to the comments made by Ros regarding quality and
context.
 
Ros wrote:
"As I said in my earlier letter, the degree of 'quality' required depends on
the context and the purpose.  Danny Maseng (as described in Shirona's
letter) was preparing a show to which he was asking many large audiences to
pay money to see.  This had better be top quality, to fulfill his side of
the contract"...  
 
Leaving aside arguments about teaching, writing and singing for the love of
it, there is no context in which quality is not a necessity. Whether I
write, sing or teach for large or small groups, for great sums of money or
none at all -- the quality must be at the very core of what I do. It's an
obligation of the soul, of the mind, of the very stuff an 'artist' is made
of.
 
I once witnessed a Sunday evening town gathering outside Chattanooga
Tennessee. Amateur musicians came from around the region, played and sang
for hours before a crowd of local folk of all ages, seated on the wooden
floor. The music was magical and the crowd's appreciation was in direct
proportion to the quality of music they were experiencing. This was an
affirmation of community and culture on the highest level. No one was paid
to perform, no one paid to get in. Money is NEVER the issue. It's about
pride in one's culture. It's about gratitude for the gift of music. It's
about a sense of obligation towards the listener, the instrument, the gift
itself.
 
When we settle for less we are teaching our children, our peers and the rest
of the world that quality doesn't really matter to us. That our own culture
doesn't deserve all we've got to give so long as it 'feels good.' That
message has, indeed, been out there for a long time and it has hurt us
deeply. Most American Jews won't listen to, let a lone buy, Jewish music for
that very reason. There is a perception of Jewish music as schlock, even
though there is some good stuff out there and it keeps getting incrementally
better. 
 
The story about the grandchild is sweet and touching and has nothing to do
with this issue. The issue is that beyond the sweet connection to Hebrew and
all things Jewish, there must be an aesthetic beauty, a truth, a quality
that is undeniable. To settle for anything less is to doom our culture to
triviality and irrelevance.
 
One last thing: Musicians who get paid are also doing it primarily for the
love of it. If they're not -- they should get out of the business. One pays
a very high price for toiling in this field and there are far better ways to
make money.  Whether we sing in Synagogue or at home, whether we are
performing for free or for pay -- the level of our effort should always
reach for the heavens. Our aspirations and expectations should aim as high
as our imagination can conceive.
 
Shavua Tov,
 
Danny Maseng,
Artistic Director,
The Brandeis-Bardin Institute
www.dannymaseng.com <http://www.dannymaseng.com/>