[HANASHIR:1646] Re: music theory

[Rglauber <Rglauber...>]

Karen D.

I thought that it was obvious that I was being facetious when I called myself
Dr. Glauber, and said I taught at Julliard for 15 years.  I was just teasing
Adrian for his "don't mean to brag, but ......." comment.  It was strictly for
laughs, I was certainly not trying to play "holier (and more theoretical) than
thou".

In fact, the reason I have been pushing the theory end of the field is to try
and make a contribution to the music side of "Jewish Music".   My particular
goal is to increase our ability to make music with one another.  What I have
seen in my own experience at CAJE, Hava Nashira etc, is that the majority of
"Jewish Musicians" aren't really able to play with one another or to learn one
another's material with ease.  

Yes it's true that most people can play along on the standard Friedman,
Klepper, Carlebach reportoire, but that is different than being able to learn
tunes on the spot, and make real music on a professional or at least semi-
professional level.  It's not about one upmanship, it's about making music.

Adrian can play with anybody,  I can play with just about anybody, ditto
Carole Rivel,  ditto that mandolin player from Hava Nashira.  So what do these
people have in common?  They understand music theory, and therefore they are
ready to communicate in a musical way.  And they are ready to serve all of the
other reasons why we're in music education.   

Yes to spirituality, yes to "creativity" and making music from your soul, but
for heaven's sake let's raise the level of what we're doing as a group.

As long as I'm ranting, let me get it all out in one post.  When I heard the
totality of the music at CAJE 23, (not that I heard every note, mind you), I
felt a strange emotion.  I imagined that we were being observed by a group of
gospel people, or latinos or black artists and I felt ashamed at the
sedentary, folkie, non-physical, non-exciting nature of our musical
expression.  This current phenomenon of taking t'fila and laying it over top
of simple folkie guitar progressions has become far too entrenched as our
predominant musical expression.  Where is the passion?  where is the rhythm?
where is the body?  

So yeah, I am pushing a little music theory in the hopes that maybe next time
some of us get together, we can actually create some energy as a group.  

So there....