Re: Dreydlech etc. Jeffrey Miller's response

[Matt Jaffey <mjaffey2...>]

Jeff wrote:
<<the ornaments aren't the music.>>

Definitely. But they are an important part of the *flavor* in Celtic, in
Klez etc. Actually, I don't think a listener typically hears the ornaments
that are played "as they really are", but rather, a pattern gets
constructed in the brain that may fill in gaps, and that includes the
melodic line, so, as you said, a guitarist could go for the <<feeling,
especially the little silences you "hear" at the edges of the ornaments>>,
and the listener, especially one who knows the style, will "hear" the
ornaments. That pertains to what I said about Steve Greenman showing how to
produce a Krekhts on the violin without changing the pitch. Kurt Bjorling
has also shown me how this can be done on the accordian.

Regarding plucked instruments: last summer at KlezKanada, a mandolinist
joined an advanced klezmer violin class with Steve Greenman, where
ornaments were the focus (mandolin strings have the same tuning as the
violin). I was impressed with the mandolinist's ability to produce the feel
of the ornaments that we were learning. I think he was covering new
territory (for him) and being experimental successfully.

If you ever get a chance, take some lessons with Jeffrey Warschauer. I know
he has dealt with the issue of how to make the guitar do things that more
traditional klezmer instruments do. Incidentally, the guitar can also
imitate tsimbl style to a certain extent, for example, as an accompanying
instrument.

Matt


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