[HANASHIR:1678] Re: music theory discussion

[Rglauber <Rglauber...>]

Brian wrote...

 > After watching this intense discussion of tritone substitutions, music
 > notation, etc.  I am CONVINCED that I know absolutely NOTHING about music
 > after playing guitar for 35 years!
 >
 > I think I should stop songleading IMMEDIATELY and make room for the next
 > generation of young, theory-conscious musicians!
 
Brian, I assume that you're being tongue in cheek, although without hearing or
seeing you, sometimes the intent of a message gets missed.  I do, however,
pick up a negativity towards the theoretical end of the Jewish music
discussion (even if you're half-joking), and as one of the people responsible
for it, naturally I read your remarks quite carefully.

Is there a bit of anti-intellectualism in your comment?  Are the people who
understand music theory some type of threat to your "35 years of playing
guitar"?  Or is there part of you, perhaps that wants to learn some new
musical things and has feelings about a lack of theoretical knowledge?  It's
hard to tell.

The way I look at it is that we are talking about Jewish Music.  There is a
wealth of information, custom, tradition, and history wrapped up in the term
"Jewish", just as there is a wealth of information, custom, tradition, and
history wrapped up in the term "Music".  As a group, (and I'm speaking in
generalities here) we put a lot more emphasis on the former, rather than the
latter.  The result is a group of "Jewish Music Educators" more skilled in the
"Jewish" end than in the musical end.  

So yes, our job is to transmit Jewish values and knowledge through the music,
and I would maintain that we should use as much of the musical resource as
possible in order to do so.  It's not about theory.  Theory is a tool and a
language.  But if we can improve our musical ability, than we can create a
higher level of musical interest on the part of our students, and a higher
ability to communicate (and make music) among ourselves.

And in case anybody is wondering, I don't think Jewish music education should
be about writing new, sophisticated progressions with lots of complex chords.
I think there ought to be a bit more sophistication in the performing end of
things, but as far as education and kids are concerned, I simplify the harmony
and spice up the rhythm.  

Rich Glauber

PS  Judy Git,  you attributed the notation system to me.  I had nothing to do
with it.