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Thoughts on playing jazz and classical saxophone...

6/1/2015

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Some notes in preparation for a performance at the Open Mic for Classical Music on Sunday, June 21, 2015 at the Brewster Meeting House, created and hosted by clarinetist Monika Woods.

Jazz and folk musicians have always had the benefit of performing in "open mic" environments. Open mics give amateur as well as professional musicians something very important and essential - an opportunity to hone their performance skills in front of an audience of both musicians and non-musicians. The idea of creating a similar environment for classical music is fabulous and long overdue. It's like putting wheels on luggage: why didn't anyone ever think of this before?!?

I learned to play the saxophone thanks to one of my older brothers who played it during his high school years. When he left for college he tucked his tenor saxophone under his bed where it remained unplayed for a couple of years. Then one day when I was ten years old I came home with a notice from school that my hometown of Pawtucket, Rhode Island was offering free beginner music lessons during the summer. My mom signed me up and I've been playing ever since.

The saxophone and jazz are kind of like peanut butter and jelly - we don't think of one without thinking of the other. Although I began my music studies with a traditional conservatory based approach, because I played the saxophone I was naturally led to the world of jazz. The traditional lessons helped me develop a solid technique while the jazz experience fostered a creative, in-the-moment way of performing.

It wasn't until I began my college music studies that I truly became interested in trying to perform classical music. In my program at the University of Rhode Island I met other saxophonists who were interested in more than jazz and who inspired me to explore classical music. It was quite a challenge for me. I still remember playing with a fantastic classical pianist who kept stopping me in rehearsal because I was swinging the eighth notes (even though I could swear I wasn't!) She was right though. I had to work very hard to have less "jazz accent" in my musical voice and to sound more like a classical musician. But I loved the challenge, and I still do.

With jazz, if there's something I can't do, I just do something else. With classical music I don't have that luxury. I have to perform the music as written and attempt to realize the composer's intent. Yes, there's lots of room for expression and myriad other personal choices, but ultimately I must be true to the notes on the page, to the composition. The precision and discipline which that requires build musical character.

I like to think that for all of us musicians, when we are working on a composed piece of music, it's like we are exploring the mind of the composer. I'm sure it's the same for actors and their relationship with scripts and playwrights. There are pieces I've been playing for 30 or more years and it seems that each time I play them I learn something new about what the composer is seeking. It's as if each time I play a piece is the first time it's been played. That intrigues and energizes me and hopefully the listener as well!

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Never Too Late...

7/8/2014

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Some inspiration from a book recently brought to my attention by one of my adult students. Share your thoughts!

"Some people think it is too late to learn to play an instrument because they feel they will never 'get good' at it. But that is based on the misconception that art is primarily about accomplishing something and gaining skill. Actually, art is about exploring and creating. For that, it's never too late. 

"Creating is not performing, but exploring. To create is to enjoy the adventure within this moment. It is not being concerned with how far we have traveled or how much we have accomplished, but being willing to take a new path, embrace challenges, and become a beginner all over again. As the years go by, we become more knowledgeable and skillful and impressive, but a creative person looks at the challenges ahead rather than the accomplishments behind, and is forever curious about what can be discovered in the moment unfolding itself. What we can discover in music (and ourselves) is infinite. To those who enjoy creating music, that's something quite wonderful. After all, when we are intensely enjoying a movie or book, don't we wish it would never end?"

(From "Pattern Play, Book 1" by Akiko & Forrest Kinney, published by The Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited)

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Musical Form - Repetition and Variation Again!

1/23/2012

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Picture"Honeysuckle" © 2008 Helen Miranda Wilson
One of my favorite days when I'm teaching a music theory class is when I ask my students to define "music". How do we pare music down to its essence and find a common definition that we can agree upon and that will apply to any style? What a challenge! 
First it is usually agreed that music is sound. But how does it differ from noise or random sounds? We then usually agree that music is sound that is intentionally organized using various elements. The most apparent of those elements are melody, harmony and rhythm. A more elusive element to discern is form, and it is present in all music.
Music occurs in time, so the beginning and ending moments provide the overall framework. At the very least the music will have a beginning and an end. Some music is what we call "through-composed" without having sections that repeat. It simply will begin at one moment in time, and end at another.  
But most music that we hear consists of sections that repeat mixed with sections of contrast. It's common to label each section with a letter to indicate the form. Some common forms are: ABA, AABA, ABACADA (etc.), AB (or verse-chorus). And there can be smaller forms within the overall form. And within the forms and subforms are melodies, harmonies and rhythms that repeat and vary, further adding structure to the music. 
Melody, harmony, rhythm and form. As you listen to music try to become aware of and identify its formal structure. What are the sections that repeat? What are the sections that are varied? You'll find it in music from pop songs to symphonies. 
Happy listening!

A note from artist Helen Miranda Wilson: "You know that tune 'Honeysuckle Rose'? It came on the radio while I was making that painting. Plus the honeysuckle was blooming in the back yard. Its scent was wafting through the window. Repetition and variation: it's all I do, for years now. It's what breathing is."

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Musical Style - Repetition and Variation

10/31/2011

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As a musical performer I've always been intrigued by musical styles and the challenge of authentically playing in a given style. What makes classical music sound classical, rock sound rock, etc.? 
Style implies uniformity, an overall set of rules or standards. Then, within those sets of rules, it's the subtle differences, the rearranging of order, the little twists and turns that a particular composer or performer takes that make each piece in that style unique and interesting. Repetition and variation.
A criticism sometimes levied at an unfamiliar or disliked style of music is that "It all sounds the same". Well, in fact, it does. That's what a style is supposed to do - repeat itself. But once we are familiar with the individual pieces within a style we can become immersed in the unique subtleties of each piece or performance and focus on the variations. The repetition provides form and familiarity while the variation provides interest.
For a non-musical example, when I toured Korea with the Rhode Island Saxophone Quartet it took me about three days before I stopped getting the names of our Korean hosts wrong. There was a uniformity to their appearance that at first struck me as "all the same". When I was finally able to perceive the uniqueness and subtle differences of each person in the group I no longer got their names mixed up.
For a musical example, cool jazz and hip hop are often perceived as very relaxed and laid back styles. They definitely have that vibe to them, but they are very precisely relaxed and laid back. There are very specific things that the musician must do to achieve that feeling. A style of rock music might be described as "driving"; something classical might be "expansive". How is all that achieved? 
To perform as authentically as possible in a given style I need to discover the uniform characteristics of the style as well as the subtleties of the differences. Repetition and variation.

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    Author

    Bruce Abbott

    I am often asked questions about my music such as "What is this composition about?" and "What inspired this piece?" 
    To answer these questions I have created a blog feature called "Inside the Music". Each entry includes a photo or two, some information about the composition, and a link to hear the music. 
    I hope you enjoy them. As always, thanks for listening!
    ​Bruce


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Photo used under Creative Commons from gfpeck