Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Open-minded Ear

So much  traditional "master"-based musical training is based on the student being listened to judgmentally, by parents, siblings, teachers, etc.  This is the opposite of the way music is listened to in the clubs--jazz and cabaret.  It has to be the opposite of the way music was listened to back in the day--the 17th, 18th, and 19th century when improvisation was the primary vehicle for musical expression.

Why can't we have it both ways?  Has canned music so slowed our brains to the level of reproduction that we can't savor the infinite possibilities present in every live tone?