Monday, September 20, 2010

Today I remember the remark of a young girl who had played a wrong note: "But the note didn't want to go up!" Labelled by everyone but me a poor reader she did not last long in my tutelage: her parents were determined that she remain a poor reader. I feel that she was really ahead of the game in that she showed comprehension. If that isn't the point of reading, what is?

I recall also moments in which I heard distinctly certain tonal events that surprised me by making it impossible for me simply to play the notes in front of me. When I have gone back to find the passages they have vanished. It is as though I read theoretically and listen acoustically and the two simply do not line up.