Some of the best classes I have taken in my lifetime
consist of Dr. Claudine Bigelow’s String Literature Class, Professor Julie
Bevan’s Chamber Music Literature class and now Dr. Ronald H. Sadoff’s Film Music: Historical & Aesthetical
Perspectives. For whatever reason, this class fascinates me to an obsessive
rate. We have been given two texts to read, and I have already read Film Music: A Neglected Art. Besides
that, I am already on page 106 of Overtones
and Undertones: Reading Film Music, both of which are over 300 pages long.
I am able to dive and get lost into these books about film and their respective
scores. I have always had an affinity for the topic, and am now grateful to be
LIVING in this class.
In Overtones and Undertones, Royal S. Brown
quotes from page 222 of Langer’s Philosophy,
and this is the best description of music I have ever read in my entire
life!!!!
music is
not self expression, but formulation and
representation of emotions, moods, mental tensions and resolutions—a
“logical picture” of sentient, responsive life, a source of insight, not a plea
for sympathy. Feelings revealed in music are essentially not “the passion,
love, or longing of such-and-such an individual,” inviting us to put ourselves
in that individual’s place, but are presented directly to our understanding,
that we may grasp, realize, comprehend these feelings, without pretending to
have them or imputing them to anyone else.
Nailed
it.
In other
discussions, I am adjunct faculty at NYU. It is an interesting thing—I never
thought I would like teaching, and now that I have about 10 students, I am
growing fond of the art. My students range from cannot-read-music to
should-have-been-a-music-major. It is really fascinating to have to pull out old
skills I have not even thought about since I learned them. Also, the fact I
learned to read music via playing the piano, and learned how to play a string
instrument via violin is interesting. I am glad I took all those pedagogy
classes from Monte and LeAnne while at BYU. Who knew I would chose to use
Castleman/Koob/The Art of Vibrato/The Violist’s Guide to Exquisite Intonation
ever again. Thank you Dr. Bigelow, and thank you for the rich heritage. (I also
drastically miss the Primrose International Viola Archive like no one’s
business).
I am
still working for Rob Fisher as his music assistant. I am legally not allowed
to talk about projects and such, but this is a wonderful opportunity and a
great blessing/break away from my busy, crazy life. It is nice to be using my
skills as an organized person as well as combine said skills with my musical
knowledge. I am so honoured to have this job, and to be able to work with such
a star as Rob, not to mention the projects themselves.
I have
some other awesome things lined up like orchestration THE CARNIVOROUS, a new
play, more performances of A MUSICAL FANTASIA ON PIRATICAL THEMES [working
title], making my Off-Broadway debut with the amazing piece FANNIE LOU and more
news of FOLK WANDERING rising in the works that I cannot talk about until they
are announced. All this to be said, I am really enjoying life and it is slowly
starting to pick up for me. I am thrilled.
I was
lucky enough to see the Public’s presentation of INTO THE WOODS as part of
Shakespeare in the Park this summer. I just want to make a statement about how
Ben Brantley doesn’t rule the universe. I do value his opinion, and most of the
time he is right, but I do not understand how this production received less
than favourable handouts. I thought Amy Adams did a remarkable job with the
Baker’s Wife, and surprisingly enough, was way more in tune than Donna Murphy.
Not to say Donna was not outstanding, because she did act the living daylights
of the role, not to mention the new version of “Last Midnight” is beyond
amazing—I wanted to press pause on my real life TiVo and rewind to watch her
sing it again to new orchestrations. I really hope it does not transfer because
the magic will be lost from being outside, in a park, with woods everywhere. If
they can reconstruct the same feeling as they did outdoors indoors, then we
have a different story on our hands. I just do not want something to transfer
that is a success in a different venue to lose the sparkle it had in said
venue, ie. LYSISTRATA JONES anyone?
More
soon. I love my new bow.
