I've come up with a real live harp example. Roberto created a monster
that sent me poking around the CD collection till all hours.
A premise:
I like what I know.
not:
I know what I like.
Thus, the first hearing of a piece of music tends to be the performance
we attach our perceptions to. This is, of course, not always the case,
but more often than not.
Back to the CD collection.
I came upon a recording of the Ashgrove by Alfredo Rolando Ortiz. A
little more poking about produced one by Elinor Bennitt, and yet a third
by Nancy Richardson on a cassette that is very tired from being played.
Bias:
I like Welsh music. Nope not strong enough I reeally like Welsh music.
still too weak ... you get the idea.
So, abiding by my first premise put Mr. Ortiz recording on a cassette
Then Elinor Benitt and finally Nancy Richardson. I think I have one by
Robin Huw Bowen, but can find it. Got to get these CDs marked in
braille, sigh -- csomeday.
Sat here listened to all three. All have the notes right no question.
First hearing of the tune was in camp when about 13-years-old. almost 40
years ago ... why did iI write that?
Verdict:
Mr. Ortiz superimposes his South American style over the old Brithonic
tune. Nope nice performance but there is something not quite there. Is
it too busy? Is it too precise with the rythm. I did not get out the
metronome to see just how precise, but it is pretty square. It's as if
someone had come along and said to him, "oh, it sure be swell if you'd
record this." Sounds to me like notes on paper moved into sound.
He played it very well. My reaction was : next.
Elinor Bennitt: lots and lots of variations, and this version well
swings. She tinkers with the time a bit and does Welshish sorts of
things with the tune. Example, each variation becomes more and more
complex until you wonder whether and/or how she could possibly do more
and the final one, even though the notes say solo harp, how can this be?
Nancy Richardson: The first time I ever head a tripple harp I was hooked
forever She too does some pretty amazing things with the tune.
Not being steeped in the traditions and sounds of Wales Sr. Ortiz just
doesn't quite do it for me.
By the way, I have no trouble with placing one sort of element upon
another in the sense, that if he had played several variations in
different styles, now, that might have done something for me, and by
doing so he would have used some of what I will call root material of the
tune.
When we learn a piece of music, how much room is there for doing things
with the time? What about accents? I heard a ragtime tune yesterday that
I'd heard played more or less level the other times I had heard it. The
one yesterday, was a whole new piece of music. What then is
characteristic of a style? I don't just mean a few little licks or
ornaments. If you shift too far outside a genre, you'll either come up
with with something new or something so hideously boring that listeners
will go to sleep, but that, too is one of the characteristics harpers are
supposed to be able to offer.
Nelson