Bousfield & Wilson leave Vienna

[Peach]

http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/ ... -life.html" target="_blank

Interesting.

(As an aside, I note the quality of comments below the article...)

[bort]

I can only imagine how little attention would be given if two 2nd violin players left at the same time...?

I guess it's interesting, although I can hardly believe that the travel/touring requirements were unknown when these folks took the job. From the sounds of it, it's just that two players (one there for 20 years, another for 5 years) have decided to move on with their lives. That's not an insignificant amount of time either... is the expectation to stay there much longer? It only seems relevant because it's two players within the same (small) section, and it's a "dream job" scenario for a lot of people.

[CJBlaha]

Jeremy doesn't owe an explanation to anyone, but he gave one anyways.
This is one of the most excellent articles/posts I've ever read.

http://backrowperspectives.blogspot.com ... l?spref=fb

[Mojo workin']

Wow, as great of a player and teacher as Ian is, I've lost some respect for him after watching the ETW masterclass he just gave.

I was trying to learn what I could inbetween all of the anti-American brass playing swipes that he took.

I would disgree that the only "great" musicians who have played brass instruments are Dennis Brain, Maurice Andre and John Fletcher. Hmmmmm, all three of them were European, weren't they?

"The study of Rochut has screwed up American trombone players' sense of proper articulation (or something to that effect)." Oh really?

Oh, and complete with a mock, derisive American accent, "Everything must sound pretty", mocking how Americans try to play most things bel canto.

Actually, he started right off by patronizing the first guy to play by sarcastically pointing out Mahler's performance directions in the third symphony trombone solo.

There was a noticeable lack of talk about tone quality. "You can pay people thousands of dollars teaching you how to breathe, but if you don't know how to blow, it's useless." I would refer Mr. Bousfield to a book called Song and Wind. It's about this guy (An American) who knew a little thing or two about performance, pedagogy and brass sound named Arnold Jacobs.

The taking of the phone call was asinine, not humorous.

These are just the things that I remember.

Please, flame away.

[GC]

Britain is part of Europe.

[graybach]

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/v ... JME32fB8Z3" target="_blank

[Alex C]

C'mon Brits! Are you European or not?

[peter birch]

C'mon Brits! Are you European or not?

only by proximity, and like America, we used to own big chunks of it

[Mojo workin']

http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/v ... JME32fB8Z3" target="_blank

Who are you accusing of being a troll?

[fsgazda]

Wow, as great of a player and teacher as Ian is, I've lost some respect for him after watching the ETW masterclass he just gave.

Please, flame away.

I'm not going to flame. You are of course entitled to your opinion, but I disagree with most of what you said.

When I attend a masterclass, I frequently sit towards the back, as if it winds up being the same old rehash of things I get bored and split. This particular class was one of the most enlightening, refreshing, interesting, and just plain fun I've seen. Almost everything he said, after I thought about it I had to admit to myself that he was right.

I would disgree that the only "great" musicians who have played brass instruments are Dennis Brain, Maurice Andre and John Fletcher. Hmmmmm, all three of them were European, weren't they?

This is opinion. My opinion is, when I first heard the Denis Brain recording of the Mozart concerti I had a similar feeling to the first time I heard Roger Bobo live. I was obvious to me from the first note that this performer is more interesting and engaging than anyone else I have heard on that instrument. I feel the same way about Maurice Andre. The only change I would make is Bobo over Fletcher. That is only my opinion. I have seen a quote from Gene Porkorny: "Having Yo-Yo Ma give a masterclass to brass players is like hiring Picasso to paint your garage." If that quote is accurate, it seems that Mr. Porkorny agrees that brass players are not world-class musicians.

"The study of Rochut has screwed up American trombone players' sense of proper articulation (or something to that effect)." Oh really?

Oh, and complete with a mock, derisive American accent, "Everything must sound pretty", mocking how Americans try to play most things bel canto.

Bear in mind that the performer was playing the Mahler solo very Rochut-ish, when the solo is in no way intended that way (there are only 2 slurs and no "cantible" or even "Legato" markings). I found this particular thread of his discussion (especially as pertains to the David Concertino) very enlightening.

Actually, he started right off by patronizing the first guy to play by sarcastically pointing out Mahler's performance directions in the third symphony trombone solo.

While it took great courage to stand up there and play, the young man was not well prepared. Mahler wrote very specific instructions in the music, none of which he had looked up, all of which told him to play differently than he was. My first college teacher would throw you out and give you an "F" for the lesson if you didn't know your terms. There is a reason people have published translations of Mahler terms for brass players. It is that important.

There was a noticeable lack of talk about tone quality. "You can pay people thousands of dollars teaching you how to breathe, but if you don't know how to blow, it's useless." I would refer Mr. Bousfield to a book called Song and Wind. It's about this guy (An American) who knew a little thing or two about performance, pedagogy and brass sound named Arnold Jacobs.

It seems to me that extensive time he spent talking about what to do with the air and articulation was all about tone quality. That and his repeated point about conceptualizing the sound and using your musical imagination. Sounds like "Song and Wind" to me.

The taking of the phone call was asinine, not humorous.

You may not have liked it, but most of the audience laughed. To each his own.

[PMeuph]

Interestingly enough you can listen to Bousfield's recording of the Mahler 3 solo on his webpage.

http://www.ianbousfield.com/listen/interesting-stuff/" target="_blank

_______

I fail to see how this even constitutes anything close to a crisis. I am sure that the VPO will be able to find world-class players to fill the 2 open spots.

[Mojo workin']

Before some become too worked up, I should say that I thoroughly enjoyed the masterclass, having watched the video feed on the USAB website.

Like fsgazda said, it was an enlightening and interesting masterclass. I have the utmost respect for Mr. Bousfield's playing and teaching. He has a fantastic trombone sound and a very concrete idea of how one should play the trombone.

If I were to review the class again, I might have a different take on the intention of some of his comments.

[MartyNeilan]

"The study of Rochut has screwed up American trombone players' sense of proper articulation (or something to that effect)." Oh really?

I will have to agree that an "improper" study of that has messed up a lot of playing - I have heard way too many tuba players (even some "pros") who have no sense of articulation and every note starts fwa fwa fwa in some vain attempt to "soft tongue" legato everything in the name of being "musical."