tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post1958620913696817372..comments2024-03-27T23:06:03.736-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: Are There Musical and Unmusical Nations?Bryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-9960698125547194212013-07-01T06:16:47.629-05:002013-07-01T06:16:47.629-05:00Hi Rickard and welcome to the Music Salon.
If you...Hi Rickard and welcome to the Music Salon.<br /><br />If you keep reading the blog, you will notice that quite often I say provocative things. I put up one post titled "What's wrong with jazz" for example. The reason for this is that stating a clear position that might seem a bit extreme is a terrific way to start a debate. What I really want is the debate. So thanks for your comment on this somewhat provocative post.<br /><br />Yes, my statement might have seemed a bit harsh and I know that there is some recent discussion that downplays the whole idea of talent. I talk about that in this post: http://themusicsalon.blogspot.mx/2011/09/on-musical-talent.html<br /><br />But private music lessons are costly, easily amounting to a couple of thousand dollars a year or more. It a student isn't making progress, the parents really need to be told. Perhaps the student is learning the wrong instrument or should be taking dance or tennis lessons instead.<br /><br />Musical talent is pretty undeniable, though. Some students pick up everything you show them immediately while others never quite seen to "get" it. But if by talent we mean sensitivity to musical qualities like tone color, phrasing, rhythm, harmony and so on and the facility to exploit them, then it is certainly not enough. Perhaps talent should also include the ability to focus one's efforts and the determination to master difficulties.<br /><br />As a teacher I do believe that teachers can be an important, perhaps even decisive influence. But at the end of the day it is the student that does all the real work.<br /><br />Thanks for the comment, Rickard and I look for more discussion!Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-4492486800185088752013-07-01T03:26:03.500-05:002013-07-01T03:26:03.500-05:00Hey, I recently discovered this wonderful blog tha...Hey, I recently discovered this wonderful blog thanks to Nathan Shirley. I've been reading some of the articles but I haven't commented anything yet. Either way, my first comment here:<br /><br />"On quite a few occasions in my decades-long career as a music teacher, I have had to tell parents that their child was not progressing and it was probably not worth it to continue to enroll them in lessons."<br />That's quite harsh. I personally don't believe so much in talent, it's more a matter of dedication (being motivated), knowing the correct practice methods and how to use them. For learning new things there obviously are better ways and worse ways. Even if you know about the "best possible" methods you have to understand them well and learn to use them in practical situations (during normal practice). So maybe at least some of the students didn't really grasp how to practice those things or maybe they simply disliked being forced to play the instrument (lack of motivation or dedication). As I see it there are many other reasons than "lack of talent" (whatever talent actually means).<br /><br />I don't play guitar though, only piano. There's an interesting book about piano practice called "The Fundamentals of Piano Practice". Maybe it might be of some interest to you eventhough it's for piano.Rickardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08084578675339015204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-41378953607325766922013-02-18T13:18:44.392-06:002013-02-18T13:18:44.392-06:00Hi Joel,
I'm so glad you left a comment as I&...Hi Joel,<br /><br />I'm so glad you left a comment as I'm sure you can make a real contribution. I know this is very complex and I'm really not putting forth any kind of theory here. What I am doing is just making an empirical observation that I think is true. The explanation I am not sure of. Perhaps cultural factors are involved. For example, England was long known as the "land without music" but in the late 19th and 20th century things changed and now it is a very musical place. Perhaps it is not a question of DNA so much as "cultural capital"<br /><br />In order for a nation to develop a musical culture there have to be good musicians as models, good teachers, established institutions and available careers. In many places these things are not available.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-52553589705557133552013-02-18T12:59:47.240-06:002013-02-18T12:59:47.240-06:00Very interesting, polemic and complex topic! Loved...Very interesting, polemic and complex topic! Loved it...<br /><br />Are you suggesting that there could be "musical genes" which are more distributed in certain populations (ethnic groups) than in others? That sounds too determinist from you hehehe.<br /><br />I expected you to say that "musicality" in different cultures depends on musical training, education, knowledge of aestthetics, etc... But right now you are condemnig entire groups of people (even nations) that, no matter how much education they receive, they're more less likely to achieve good "musicality".<br /><br />Or maybe it's not "musicality" what we're talking about, maybe it's "talent". Then, What is talent? A mistic blessing that just few countries receive more? Or something in the DNA? (That would make more sense). If it's DNA (genes, nature) then... It has to be demonstrated.<br /><br />I'm a little confused but I'm excited about it. It's very interesting to read all your points and anecdotes. But I think that this requires more analysis.<br /><br />Greetings!Joel Lohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09899053147050874817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-65076606710947980692013-02-18T10:12:28.488-06:002013-02-18T10:12:28.488-06:00You're right! I didn't know that. A lot of...You're right! I didn't know that. A lot of Mexicans are of Spanish or Italian descent. Manuel M. Ponce is 100% Mexican, however.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-6523882249658219882013-02-18T09:02:40.876-06:002013-02-18T09:02:40.876-06:00By the way, Luis Miguel's parents were not mex...By the way, Luis Miguel's parents were not mexican: mother - italian, father - spaniard. I guess, his talent came from Italy. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com