<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content="MSHTML 5.00.3502.5390" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Rich,</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alas, I know very much about a few = things and a little bit about many other things.  I'm afraid music history comes = under the latter category, besides which, Liszt isn't really my cup of = tea.  ;-)</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As for being "IN" the = Chesapeake...  Well, I admit I didn't think out the negative connotations to that comment.  <wink>  I'm happy to report that I didn't go = for any swims along the way, although I did get soaked a couple of times (one = storm going and one returning -- with a gorgeous pair of near-simultaneous = lightning strikes not far off our starboard and port -- don't know why the = tall aluminum mast in the middle was spared a few bizillion Joules).  Fortunately I had just equipped the boat with a GPS guided = navigation computer that worked beautifully -- much better than the new engine that = overheated when all our wind died.  In addition to the new = GPS, new computer and new engine, there was also of course the new sailor -- = me.  I was grateful that two of the other three crew members knew their sailing = well.  Quite an experience!  I can see how this stuff gets = into people's blood.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I count the hot shower I just took as = one of the 10 best I've ever had.  :-)</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Peace,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sarah</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Back Home</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>PS I hope sailing isn't too = off-topic for this liszt.</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A href="mailto:classictouchent@comcast.net" title=classictouchent@comcast.net>Classic Touch Ent</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title=pianotech@ptg.org>Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 27, 2003 = 11:17 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re:Envelope pushers(jazzers)/Liszt(was Ahmad Jamal)</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>Hi Sarah!<BR><BR>On Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at 01:22 AM, = Sarah Fox wrote:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Hi again, = Rich,<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param = Arial><?smaller>Just a quick note before I disappear for a couple of days.  (I'll be = out sailing :-)<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><BR>Do you mean in the = composer, improviser or performer sense or all three? Are we talking = composition, technique, 'sound' sculpture, voicing? all of them?The answers (observations, extrapolations, wags) could probably fill a book or = two, hotly debated by all. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding the focus of the question, but it just seems there are so many variables many of = which point in the 'which comes first, the chicken or the egg?' = direction.<BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?color><?param = 0000,0000,FFFF><?smaller>I suppose I mean "all three" Liszts.  I'm thinking particularly = of the limitations Liszt experienced from the slower repetition = rates of earlier actions.  I understand he hungered for a faster, = more nimble action, and he considered the modern repetition arm a godsend.  It opened up many more possibilities to him both in composition and performance.<?/smaller><?/color><?/fontfamily><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Hi Sarah,<BR><BR>AH! In the case of Liszt/pianos/rep.rates I'd debate = this. I don't know specifically what you mean by 'modern repetition arm', but considering the end of his concert career (~1850) my recollection is = that he played nothing like a modern grand action. The Erards of his day were 'quicker' than our 'modern' grand action. I think the modern grand is = in large part due to market conditions (promoters demand bigger halls with more = seats to accommodate more( paying) folks anxious to hear/see the masters/ = requiring instruments with much bigger volume/ much more percussive potential = than the fortepiano). However, once the modern grand is created we see = composers and performers exploiting its percussive potential. Don't know whether = that's because of fortepiano limitation or palette/style preference.<BR>By = following the Liszt, A. Rubinstein, Josef Hofmann legacy we arrive at proteges = (such as William Harms and Shura Cherkasky) carrying on in the 'bel canto' = style of performing. They were focused (just my opinion/perception) on = exploiting both ends of the dynamic range of the instrument with a self imposed = limitation at the gate of percussiveness.<BR><BR>My take on Liszt aside, my original = questions [re: Do you mean in the composer, improviser or performer = sense or all three?<BR>Are we talking composition, technique, 'sound' = sculpture, voicing? all of them?] were intended to focus on envelope pushing in = general (composition and performance) and its relation to limitation in = whatever form it takes (is the limitation from within or without).<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><BR>What they are able to write/perform depends very much = on the technology beneath their fingertips. <BR><BR>I'm sure that this = is true much of the time, but some composers<BR></BLOCKQUOTE>(this should = have said composers/performers)<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>seem to conjure sounds, and textures, articulations, = voicings, temperaments without regard to whether or not the instruments, = technology, or performers are capable of producing it. Sort of 'I have this idea = ( by the way the system for notating this hasn't been created yet) and = I'll describe it as best I can: can you figure out a way to make it happen?'<BR> <BR><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF>Ah, but in the end, the composer must make the music accommodate the technical limitations of the instrumentation, whatever they may = be.  I don't think I've ever heard of a composer composing for = an instrument yet to be created, although it almost wouldn't = surprise me -- and I'd almost understand.  The weirdest thing I ever did = was to write a piece that incorporated a bobbling hammer.  Of = course it could only be played on *that* = piano!<?/color><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>Perhaps this is a matter of semantics mostly born of my decision to make a = reply at 1:30 AM when I should have gone to bed.<BR><BR>Best,<BR><BR>Rich = Olmsted (sans vichyssoise d'alphabet) <BR><BR>PS. 'IN' the Chesapeake ?!?!? If it = was someone else I would assume a typo...so I'm asking.<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE><BR><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF>Well, gotta go!  I = have a very long day tomorrow, and we'll be up early to catch the tide.<?/color><BR> <BR><?color><?param = 0000,0000,FFFF>Peace,<?/color><BR><?color><?param 0000,0000,FFFF>Sarah Diane Fox, Ph.D., NPT, NPR, NRP, ABCDEFG<?/color><BR><?color><?param = 0000,0000,FFFF>Soon to be in the = Chesapeake <?/color><BR><BR> <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>= </BODY></HTML>