| Author |
Subject |
cellothesis
Registered User
(10/16/00 7:45:28 am)
Reply |
Cello
Community -- Senior Thesis
Dear cellist,
I am a senior
studying Music and Social Anthropology at Harvard University. As a
joint concentrator, I am required to write a thesis that links the
two subjects together. As a cellist, I have chosen to write about
cello festivals through the ethnographic study and participant
experience of three cello festivals in progress, and I hope that you
will be able to help me by sending your thoughts and ideas about
what you have experienced...
I am looking to answer the
following questions: why are there so many festivals, gatherings, or
congresses dedicated to the cello (as opposed to the violin, for
example)? What happens when these professionals, amateurs, and
individuals from widely different schools of cello-playing and
music-making come together? In addition to these salient inquiries,
I will be investigating subsidiary ones as well: how has the cello
crossed or blended boundaries, thus being a "flexible" instrument?
And in what ways has the cello acted as the tie that binds people
together? I plan to propose that a distinct "cello-community"
exists.
I would greatly appreciate any insight into what you
think about these ideas. Moreover, I would be interested to know
about your experience at any cello gatherings you have been a part
of. I look forward to hearing from many of you soon.
Best
wishes,
Jennifer Lee
**************************
276
Kirkland Mail Center
Cambridge, MA 02138
|
justinkagan1
Registered
User
(10/16/00 8:45:21 am)
Reply |
Re:
Cello Community -- Senior Thesis
Well, Jennifer, unless you also
wanted to create possibly the longest thread in the history of the
ICS...are you interested in communicating personally? If so, send
your email privately...justinkagan@altavista.com
would be happy
to transmit experiences/thoughts.
The mere fact that you can
contemplate a thesis on this subject is worth another thesis.
There's gold in them thar mines. Hopefully your neighbor and fellow
Crimsonian Mr. Ma will offer you some insight as well.
|
David
Sanders
Registered User
(10/16/00 9:17:18 am)
Reply |
Re:
Cello Community -- Senior Thesis
Please don't do this only by private
email. It sounds like it could be very interesting.
Sorry
Justin.
Edited by: David
Sanders at: 10/16/00 9:17:18 am
|
cellothesis
Registered User
(10/16/00 11:52:48 am)
Reply |
Re:
Cello Community -- Senior Thesis
If anyone would like to send me
longer or more detailed responses, please address them
to:
cellothesis@hotmail.com
Thank You!
|
zambocello
Registered User
(10/17/00 1:36:36 am)
Reply |
cello
community
Indeed, there does seem to be a
greater sense of colleagiality (if that's a word) and community
among cellists than many other instruments, especially piano and
violin. Pianists are obviously more oriented towards being solitary
creatures. Even when playing in a group they are usually the only
pianist. Violinists, even though they play in orchestras or in pairs
in chamber music, maintain their independence (to put it
euphemistically) and competitive nature longer because there are
more solo opportunities (concerts and competitions) per capita for
fiddlers than cellists. (Look at how many violin soloists an
orchestra presents compared to cellists.)
Cellists in groups
can play chamber music since the cello, unlike virtually every other
melody instrument, is idiomatic in all the voices from bass to
treble.
We joke about the instrument shaping the player's
character and the player's character leading him/her to select a
particular instument, but does anyone believe (as I at least
suspect) that the cello attracts/creates more reasonable and
sociable people?
Another thought (last paragraph!) is that,
before the current generation, our cello heroes were both great
soloists and great collaborators. It's only natural that as we
emulate our heroes we current cellists emphasize collaborative
playing, including in cello ensembles and at conferences.
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