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MUSICandCHARACTER · 03-05-2004, 02:03 AM

How about Doug Yeo:
http://www.yeodoug.com/articles/text/teamplayer.html

As trombones have gotten more and specialized, and in many cases, more efficient in the delivery of sound, there has been a trend toward larger and larger equipment which touches on the very human issues of ego, pride, submission to authority, working together and the concept of being a "team player." There is a subtext behind the "bigger is better" trend which bears careful scrutiny.

.... Over the past twenty years, American orchestral playing has been undergoing a significant change, as brass players have (with some notable exceptions) asserted themselves beyond their traditional role in the orchestra.

Most students go through their "loud" phase, of getting together with other players and just knocking the living daylights out of orchestral excerpts. This can be great fun to do, good for the face and boosting to the ego. But excerpt sessions don't always relate to the real world, and as many brass players have developed a more "muscular" concept of playing, the American orchestra has, in my mind, begun to suffer.

Or Jay Friedman
http://www.jayfriedman.net/articles/...e_of_Style.php

Piano is the most abused dynamic in music today. There seems to be a world-wide transformation of the dynamic piano into something approaching mf or even f. The general attitude seems to be, "Well, it isn't really that soft or the composer would have written pp." Often when a performer tries to play with maximum expression, this unfortunately becomes translated into louder playing, perhaps because the performer lacks the imagination to increase expression without raising the dynamic.

or ( http://www.jayfriedman.net/articles/..._Beethoven.php )

Modern orchestral style holds that expression comes first and dynamics come into play only after the big sound has been achieved. Dynamics are the single most neglected aspect of orchestral performance today. (On the rare occasions that conductors venture into correcting intonation, it's with a vengeance.)

What actually happens is that nothing ever gets too hushed or too intense. Pianissimos don't have the misterioso quality that composers intended because conductors pursue only expression, which means to play louder.

M&C

BTW, I am not slamming trombone players. It is my primary instrument (when I play trumpet, it is 3rd or 4th seat always, I am more of a "come back" trumpet player).

03-05-2004, 02:03 AM	#13 (permalink)
MUSICandCHARACTER Forte User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newburgh, Indiana Posts: 1,165	How about Doug Yeo: http://www.yeodoug.com/articles/text/teamplayer.html As trombones have gotten more and specialized, and in many cases, more efficient in the delivery of sound, there has been a trend toward larger and larger equipment which touches on the very human issues of ego, pride, submission to authority, working together and the concept of being a "team player." There is a subtext behind the "bigger is better" trend which bears careful scrutiny. .... Over the past twenty years, American orchestral playing has been undergoing a significant change, as brass players have (with some notable exceptions) asserted themselves beyond their traditional role in the orchestra. Most students go through their "loud" phase, of getting together with other players and just knocking the living daylights out of orchestral excerpts. This can be great fun to do, good for the face and boosting to the ego. But excerpt sessions don't always relate to the real world, and as many brass players have developed a more "muscular" concept of playing, the American orchestra has, in my mind, begun to suffer. Or Jay Friedman http://www.jayfriedman.net/articles/...e_of_Style.php Piano is the most abused dynamic in music today. There seems to be a world-wide transformation of the dynamic piano into something approaching mf or even f. The general attitude seems to be, "Well, it isn't really that soft or the composer would have written pp." Often when a performer tries to play with maximum expression, this unfortunately becomes translated into louder playing, perhaps because the performer lacks the imagination to increase expression without raising the dynamic. or ( http://www.jayfriedman.net/articles/..._Beethoven.php ) Modern orchestral style holds that expression comes first and dynamics come into play only after the big sound has been achieved. Dynamics are the single most neglected aspect of orchestral performance today. (On the rare occasions that conductors venture into correcting intonation, it's with a vengeance.) What actually happens is that nothing ever gets too hushed or too intense. Pianissimos don't have the misterioso quality that composers intended because conductors pursue only expression, which means to play louder. M&C BTW, I am not slamming trombone players. It is my primary instrument (when I play trumpet, it is 3rd or 4th seat always, I am more of a "come back" trumpet player). __________________ Dr. Jim Fox Licensed Mental Health Therapist Mouthpiece chart: www.ibowtie.com/tmptmpccharts.html