Classically Savvy

This blog has been inactive for months, and is likely to remain so.  Its scope was simply too grand. Taking this as an experiment, though, I have learned how to limit the scope and have moved on to another blog that I have been much more successful at maintaining.

Please visit artsongs.wordpress.com

I look forward to my Arts Journal Digest email once a week. I was introduced to it in my “Life in Music” class at the U, and have relied on it to keep me abreast of what’s going on in the world of the arts.

Every so often, you read something that crystallizes some idea that’s been vaguely floating around in the back of your head. Last week, an article titled “The Neuroscience of Talent (There isn’t any)” caught my attention. Several points in the article struck me as noteworthy.

It doesn’t appear that there’s anything like a music gene or center in the brain that Stevie Wonder has that nobody else has. There’s no evidence that (talented people) have a different brain structure or different wiring than the rest of us initially, although we do know that becoming an expert in anything — like chess or race-car driving or journalism — does change the brain and creates circuitry that’s more efficient at doing what you’re an expert at.

So it’s back to nature/nurture, then. Even though the brain itself isn’t more suited in this case, I do think people are more likely to excel at music (or any subject, for that matter) if their personality matches the personality traits required for it.

Additionally, and perhaps more fundamental, the skill must be cultivated. I’ve encountered quite a few amateur musicians who I thought could definitely have had a career as a singer because of their personality. But, since they never sang anywhere but in the shower, and made other choices with their vocations, that route is closed to them. Quite disappointing in some situations.

I gave a friend a voice lesson once, and found myself thinking “This guy could be a Wagnerian tenor!” But at 35, he already had a career as a lawyer and educator, as well as being a dad and volunteer at his church. The amount of training needed to get his voice to operatic quality would have been considerable, and he didn’t have the desire or dedication to continue. To this day, I wonder what that parallel universe would have been like where he did learn to sing somewhere along the way.

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“(Research has shown that) if women could choose who they’d like to be impregnated by, they’d choose a rock star. There’s something about the rock star’s genes that is signaling creativity, flexibility of thinking, flexibility of mind and body, an ability to express and process emotions — not to mention that (musical talent) signals that if you can waste your time on something that has no immediate impact on food-gathering and shelter, you’ve got your food-gathering and shelter taken care of.”

Wow. I love this. Let me repeat: “If you can waste your time on something that has no immediate impact on food-gathering and shelter, you’ve got your food-gathering and shelter taken care of.” Need I say more? :-)

Image Courtesy 3 Steps Ahead on Flickr

Apologies to my few faithful readers. I’ve been stumped about this blog lately and what to do with it. The thought of “What do I write about first?” has been bugging me; there are SO many things I want to write about!

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Think for a moment about the phrase “out of tune”. Take a moment to get a clear mental picture of what that term means to you. Hear it in your ear. It’s unpleasant, right?

The classic example is the elementary school band or orchestra concert. Even if all the students play the right notes, it’s rarely a pretty sound. Partly, that’s due to lack of refinement of technique. They’re trying so hard just to play the notes, that they’re not able to listen to the people around them and adjust.

When musicians are in tune, their tones blend, and it sounds clear. An example: at the Basilica of St Mary, there’s always a Gregorian chant to start the liturgy; the cantor stands behind the high altar and is virtually invisible. Last Sunday, two soprani did the chant together. People in the congregation were surprised to find out after Mass that there were two singers — the musicians were so well in tune that it sounded like one strong voice.

Why?

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My roommate in college was not a music major, but an engineer. Taylor had a strong voice, a good ear, and a sharp mind, and was an excellent choral musician. When he was having a rough day, he would sneak into the practice rooms in the music building to play piano. Music was his treasure, and he guarded it closely.

Taylor never liked talking too much about music. He reasoned that if he thought about it too much, he’d stop enjoying it. It was his right-brained activity in his otherwise left-brained life, and he wanted to keep it that way. Though it drove me crazy, I could see where he was coming from. Ignorance is bliss.

Maybe he was right. Over the years, I have become more critical. Sometimes the critic takes over in my mind as I listen to music, and my awareness of the musical faults obliterates any chance of getting into the spirit of the music. But I’ve also learned some tricks for quieting the criticism and for appreciating music even when I know there are problems. Even so, when something truly unusual or spectacular or transcendent is happening, I can appreciate it on so many more levels than I ever used to, heightening the experience.

If you continue to read this blog, you’re doing so at the risk of refining your musical tastes. You risk moving from mystery to understanding, You risk changing the way you think about music. You risk growing in your musical understanding. You risk becoming more critical of the music you listen to.

I hope it’s clear that my goal is not to take the joy out of music, or turn you into a jaded music critic. Quite the contrary — it is my firm belief that an increased understanding will help you enjoy music more.

But I make no guarantees. Caveat emptor.