My wife and I had the distinct pleasure to see Helicon yesterday. They’re Chris Norman on flutes and whistles, Ken Kolodner on hammered dulcimer, and Robin Bullock on cittern, guitar, fiddle, and piano. These are three bona fide world-class musicians and they put on a great show. My wife and I were discussing it on the way home and she was amazed at the energy they put into the music. She didn’t mean energy as in playing fast or jumping around the stage, but energy as in putting their souls into the music. Expressiveness is part of it, but it’s more than that. An example we thought of is the difference between Karan Casey and Deirdre Scanlon, who took over for Karan as lead singer in Solas. We’ve seen both of them, and while they have very similar voices, Karan has such intensity when she sings, while Deirdre always leaves us feeling as though she’d rather be someplace else.
I came home last night, and played some O’Carolan laments, most of which I’d never played before, and I had “it.” I came to a couple of conclusions. I feel these tunes. I feel waltzes, and jigs and slip jigs to some extent. I don’t think I feel reels, nor hornpipes to some extent, which is undoubtedly one reason I’m not crazy about playing them and sound wooden (not in the flute material sense) playing them.
So, a couple of questions. How would you describe what I tried to describe – the thing that great musicians put into their music that musicians who can hit all the notes perfectly, but aren’t great, are lacking? Also, how do you get inspired? Are there families of tunes that any of you just don’t play or play reluctantly? If you play them but aren’t crazy about them, does it come out, and if not, how do you get over it?
I play flute, whistles and, mostly, chromatic harmonica. I play for the pleasure and enjoyment I feel and what I may be able to offer to my listeners. If I don’t care for a certain genre I don’t play it AT ALL. Since I’m not a pro and am not expected to have a varied repertoire, I don’t. I simply play what I feel at the time and, yes, I try to put my soul into it. And that includes “practice”. Practice and playing go hand in hand for me and I do it, playing, for the pure enjoment and feeling of it (more than just the vibratons or air under my fingers). I fool around for about ten minutes just to get warmed up and “tuned in” then I put the ME into it.
i work a lot on my weak spots of playing, my teacher can sure point them out.
i believe this is the main thing that brings energy into music.
and although i mightn’t like a tune at first, but isn’t there oh so different ways of playing it…
I read this earlier, and didn’t have the energy to follow it too well (not that it’s complicated, but I’ve been feeling kind of all dragged out). Now I feel stronger, and can make this analogy:
There will always be players and singers, but they are not all great “performers”. Some people just put their all into what they do, and you can generally feel that quality when they put on a show, or record an album. It’s also like the difference between musicians and technicians.
I’m with you on Karan Casey, Chas, I like her a lot! I think this may be something that someone has or doesn’t-that ability to perform from the heart. I think you can probably develop it to some extent over time, especially if you concentrate on feeling the music, not just learning it note by note. And by listening to those who have that in thier music, you can get some of it “in your bones” if you will. Then, you will probably be able to transfer some of the feeling to your playing. The more you listen to any genre of playing, the more feel you have for it.
If you are enjoying your music, and playing, you are on the right track. It’s hard not to stay inspired if it comes from what you feel, not what someone wants you to play. That’s the great advantage us amateur musicians have over the pros-we can choose what we like to stay inspired. It’s not always as easy for them.