Gestures, Salzedo style

[unknown-user]

Saul Davis wrote: Other instrumentalists, not to mention singers, certainly do use
gestures. Watch Artur Rubinstein at the piano. Pianists who use the
space above the keyboard definitely get more sound…

Response: That is exactly right. My first training was on piano and the release from the keys is central to obtaining a good tone. It’s what defines articulation and phrasing. The function and movement of the entire body is always an issue when playing any instrument.

[unknown-user]

I agree totally. Thank you for your articulate and concise response – you got over in one sentence what I struggled with for a whole thread! (But then I got side tracked by people’s right to raise if they want to, above the issue of whether it worked or not!)

[tony-morosco]

+++And most instruments have differing techniques and different views on how to achieve this – but I find harp

[unknown-user]

Ahhhhh, so other instrumentalists do get their undies in a twist… I didn’t think they did! I knew that they would often debate different styles, but did not think it as bad as harp – but then, I only play harp! So, maybe I have never seen the inner dark side of the flute world!!!

By the way, I’ve been eating porridge (oatmeal) for my brekky, and it hasn’t helped my jazz….

[tony-morosco]

+++maybe I have never seen the inner dark side of the flute world!!! +++

[unknown-user]

Crack up! I have always had this feeling that I had an evil twin somewhere in the world, maybe I better check out the flute site……

As to porridge, or course I use the real thing…what sort of gal do you think I am! One vital question though, do you use salt or sugar? I tend towards the

[tony-morosco]

Just a touch of salt.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

There have certainly been warring camps in pianoland: Leschetizky vs. Taussig, Schnabel vs. Neuhaus, and I suspect in most music fields. Kodaly vs. Orff!

[unknown-user]

Okay, Okay, I concede – the harp scene is not the only one with a dark side…..

And maybe it’s not so much about a dark side, I suppose it comes from being passionate about what one does, and spending so much time perfecting what you do. In then makes you rather particular and opinionated about what you have worked so hard at!

I was re reading some of this thread, and Carl’s question about going up to top Salzedo players and telling them that he doesn’t think what they do is any different to classic french technique…and couldn’t work out their not so enthusiastic response. Well, in answer to Carl, I’d say its the above. They are passionate about what they do, have worked long and hard on their particular method, and don’t like to feel all that hard work undermined or undervalued. It’s not so much that they dislike “french”method – but probably more a commitment to what they do themselves.

[carl-swanson]

Why would saying that Salzedo method, at the advanced level, is very similar to French method be undervaluing or undermining Salzedo method. Maybe there’s something here I don’t quite get. In Salzedo method, do you raise? Or do you raze?

[unknown-user]

Naughty, naughty play nice with the Salzedo children Carlston…….

Back to your question, about why I think your mystery famous harpists were offended.

[unknown-user]

….and one last thought, do you know what your hissy girlfriends have for their brekky?? Maybe eat what they eat for a few weeks, and then all will become clear and the mysteries of Salzedo playing be revealed to you…….

[unknown-user]

Rosemary, your humor and insight is admirable. 🙂

[carl-swanson]

Rosemary- When I said what I said to the two mystery harpists(individually. They were not in Camden at the same time), I did do it knowing in advance that I would get a negative response, but I was very diplomatic and friendly about it. If somebody came up to me and said that what I was doing on the harp was very similar to Salzedo method, Russian method, or any other method, MY response would be to ask how. I’d be curious to see what they had to say. I wouldn’t take it negatively or as a put down. The mere fact that they both reacted in the exact same way tells me that they have a very negative view of French method. And my real question then is, where did that negative view come from? I’ve had discussions with other harpists over the various approaches within French method, Russian method, Eastern European method, etc. The discussions were never about which one is better. They were simply about how different harpists get around on the instrument.

[unknown-user]

Ha! I’ve gotcha! When you talk to harpists of other methods (french, russian, eastern etc)

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