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jekerry
Registered
User
Posts: 260
(5/31/01 11:09:10
am)
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talent !=
joy
Hi,
The symbol != in macro programming often means "does not
equal", so that's the meaning of the subject of my post: talent does
not equal joy.
Yesterday I found out the wife of my
co-workers was a Chinese child prodegy on piano. I guess she played
all over the world and was famous (she now has her husband's name,
so don't ask me who she is, I'm not sure). At 19 she quit the piano
and never played again. The only musical instrument they own is an
electric keyboard. I also know a bass player that went all the way
through Eastman, and then left it and doesn't really play anymore.
Both of these individuals played because their parents wanted them
to, and played well because they were very talented. Neither of them
ever enjoyed playing.
I am the other side of the coin. I'm
not talented, but I enjoy playing. I work hard for every drop of
improvement. Yet I continue to enjoy it.
How many out there
fall on each side of the fence? And then there are those that seem
to have talent and to enjoy playing. I always think of Yo Yo Ma in
this category. Forget for a moment if you love or hate his playing,
just think about the total joy on his face when he's playing. I also
saw a young pianist (26?) named Terrence Wilson play with the RPO
this last weekend. He looked so happy to be up there playing -- true
joy.
Anyway, what a strange world -- talent and love of music
are not always together in one person. And what if you love music,
have talent and hate to perform? I don't really like to perform that
much myself, I prefere to play my cello in the privacy of my home,
but I don't mind it, if it must be done. What about other people out
there? How do you feel about these things?
Just
curious.
Jane
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JanJan2
Registered
User
Posts: 158
(5/31/01 11:27:16
am)
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Re: talent !=
joy
I remember seeing Lynn Harrell play in Boston once, and feeling
like I was wallowing not only in his sound, but his joy and sheer
delight in playing! It seems like a quirk of nature that someone
with talent for a thing would not enjoy it. It seems as if the two
should automatically go hand-in-hand. But as your examplese point
out, Jane, thus is not always the case.
Janet |
Betsy
C 
Registered User
Posts: 348
(5/31/01 11:42:21 am)
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|
Re: talent !=
joy
Jane, what an interesting thread. I have wistfully come to the
conclusion that I have no natural cello talent, and it took a lot of
reflection and thinking on my part to really come to grips with it.
Actually, I am an extremely ordinary person in most aspects. I have
always wished that I could just once be really stellar at something!
I do have to say that I have, however, been the recipient of
a lot of happiness since I started the study of the cello. I have
met the nicest people (IMHO nice does matter), made new friends,
learned a lot about myself, played for my granddaughter so we can
play and sing together (a real blast), made my hubby smile because
he loves the cello, made my dog snore because it relaxes her, and I
just generally have enhanced and uplifted the quality of my life 100
fold all because of one sweet little cello! I guess all in all, it
is a pretty good trade off. I'll be honest; I wish I could learn
things and master technique as quickly as some I read about on this
board, but I wonder if the ones with the natural talent and ability
appreciate their cello victories as much as I do, because mine seem
to be hard won! Maybe they do, it's hard to say. I just know that I
really have to struggle at times and when I overcome, the happiness
is even richer for me.
Jane, all the same, if you know of
anyone who has 'magic cello dust' to sprinkle on me and make me a
much better cellist instantly, I'd like some! For me, the answer is
practice, practice, practice 
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Tim
Janof
Administrator
Posts: 232
(5/31/01 12:00:37 pm)
Reply
|
Re: talent !=
joy
"I have always wished that I could just once be really stellar at
something!"
You ARE stellar at something. Don't you know what
it is?
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RebeccaCello
Registered
User
Posts: 58
(5/31/01 12:09:17
pm)
Reply
|
Re: talent !=
joy
My brother's girlfriend used to play the oboe and progressed so
quickly on it that within her first two years of playing she had
begun to perform concertos. She then had an accident with a knife
and was unable to touch the oboe for six months. To this day she has
never returned to it despite attributing her fast progress to her
sheer love of the oboe. I find it so hard to understand.
|
Paul
Tseng ICS Staff 
Administrator
Posts: 1334
(5/31/01 12:23:54 pm)
Reply
 |
Re: talent !=
joy
Very interesting assertions.
I agree that really there is
nothing that equals joy. Joy is just joy. Not the absence of pain,
but the presence of peace.
Hmmm..
About Talent: is it
really quantifiable? I know that you can spot it when you see it,
but it's hard to measure.
I think that talent is helpful but
not absolutely necessary.
I was talking to Vladimir
Pantaleyev last week. I passed on one of my favorite students to him
when I moved to San Diego. His name is Geoffery and he is in the
picture with Slava and me on my website. Anyway, he is clearly
talented and has been a joy to teach. Vladimir is very impressed
with him too and attests to his talent. At 12 years old, he's played
the 1st Bach Suite and the CPE Bach Cocnerto in C minor (is that CPE
or JC?). Now Vladimir says he's playing the Saint Saens concerto
flawlessly. wow!
BUT! He warns little Geoffry that he'd
better start working hard and not rely on his natural ability.
Because in a few years, no one will care that he is a teenager
playing the Dvorak concerto. He will need something beyond just
playing the notes well. Sure at 12 years oldit's very impressive to
see anyone playing Saint Saens concerto flawlessly (technically, I'm
assuming), but later on, age is not a factor.
People used to
say "wow, you play well considering that you've only studied for 4
years." I used to really like hearing that. But when I got to be
about 25, no one cared that I'd studied for 11 years while all the
other students of my age studied for 21. They only cared that what I
played was technicaly solid and musically sound.
I think time
and age are the great equalizers.
Now, back to joy: I've met
some musicians who are fabulous players but just don't enjoy getting
on stage and sharing it. The reason sometimes is that the anxiety
and pressure to perform is so great that it kills any joy they may
have. Some musicians make their careers as recording artists and not
stage performers, don't they?
I've also known some players
who were technically quite weak, but because of their love of the
instrument and enthusiasm to share their joy, they played. ONe
person in particular that I know plays so many concerts and gets
through so much repertoire, and his greatest strength is not his
sound or technique, it's his Joy. He is so determined to share his
joy that he doesn't let his limitations stop him. A cynical person
might say he has no business getting on stage, but I think if he is
that persistent, he more than deserves the opportunity to share his
joy.
If I had his persistence and determination, I'd probably
have a much bigger musical career by now. You gotta love and respect
such a hard worker and someone who is so music-conscious and not
self-conscious. (Playing well is still important, don't get me
wrong!)
Paul Tseng
My Website
Alexander's Photo
Albums
Free Cello
Music!
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Stefan79
Registered
User
Posts: 286
(5/31/01 3:28:20
pm)
Reply
|
Re: talent !=
joy
Hm...
/
Stefan
|
DWThomas
Registered
User
Posts: 339
(5/31/01 4:20:19
pm)
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Re: talent !=
joy
Ah but perhaps by words and example you are stellar at
encouraging people to follow dreams and extract whatever joy they
can get from them -- eh?
I think every person is a unique
assortment of talents. Some may reach lofty peaks, but in a very
narrow range of activities. Others may not rise quite as high, but
yet may have more breadth and diversity. Who can say what's better.
It's surely A Good Thing(tm) to take advantage of opportunities to
explore as many activities as possible, never knowing what may
"click" or what may provide joy to one's self and/or friends,
family, etc.
The saddest thoughts are of those undiscovered
souls of great potential who through economic or political
disadvantage never even get the chance to pursue a
dream.
Good grief -- heavy philosophy after this loooong
workday!
Dave - hoping at remote reading these words actually
say what he intended - gulp! 
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