The Spirit of a Musician

[steve jones]

The spirit of a musician, this is something that interest me greatly.

Iv seen this quality in many non musician, yet Iv seen a distinct lack of it in technically preficient muso!

To me, the musician spirit is the what hits you in the chest when you hear a particular chord in a piece, its whats makes you dance a like some one possessed to techno music, its what makes you angrey to metal music...

Its the passion that drives you, its the aspect of your soul that enables you communicate metaphorically through sound.

Question is, has the musicians spirit had its day? Has it been eclipsed by the mechanical techinician? The engineer as it were?

To me, performance and musical expression is where its at. Technical virtuosity is very inspiring and notable, but it says nothing about the soul.

Which pianists do you thing really possess the musicians spirit?

I feel the force strongly in the likes of Argerich. I cant listen to her Chopin Scherzo 3 without being overcome!

Steve Jones

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

I would like to say that yes, the spirit is the driving force. However without a technique it is impossible to really put give the music it's quality. Yes, you can learn the notes and bash them out, but it will sound dry without the actual music. Technique is of course very important, but it must help the music, not the other way around. With a proper technique, it is easier to express something musically.

[steve jones]

Oh I absolutely agree. Technique is of critical importance as a vehicle to express what it is that you have to say.

My point was really about the prescence of that musical soul, and how it can appear in the most unlikely places (ie in non musicians).

[franziii]

i wrote this several years ago considering the same question and feeling you expressed here...i have no answers   just a sharing from a fellow deep thinker............
                                       an artist`s soul

                i am that depth of feeling which must be fed...
                and only with an open heart may i receive the
                nourishment from my creation........

                i am creation itself, in resonance with eons of
                of echoing tonalities...all perfectly in tune!

                i am the freedom of the soul to marvel at its own
                perfection.........to act, to sing, to play, to perform

                i am all  the past  memory melodies ever
                present, touching the most obstinate soul

                i am the eyes which gaze upon visions born in
                the crucibles of lives searching for freedom

  i am the ears which listen for that faint voice of
                hope, singing in the darkest night

                i am the tears of anger, joy ; sounds of emotions
                without words

                i am the flow of inspiration, purging in it wake
                all imperfections initiating the soul to new life

                i am the conduit for the human symphony,
                expressing for humanity what it can not,
                finding the unknown rhythms,
                creating  overtones of possibilities emerging into to pure harmony

                i am the resonant vibration of the universe,
                manifesting in your hands and ears, heart and soul !

[pianowelsh]

Agreed Argerich is one! Maria Joao Pires is another...gosh its interesting! I cant think of another instantly of the top of my head.  You might be right there are fewer of them who are consistently passionate in their performances.

[rc]

That's interesting to notice it in non-musicians, I'd never really thought of it like that. I can only think of one example from my life of someone who would make a good musician if he was so inclined. This fellow does draw like you wouldn't believe, and though he doesn't consider himself a writer, often when he puts something down on paper it has that special quality.

It's an artistic personality. To try and put it into words... creativity + expression. Everybody has emotions, but these people will channel them expressively. Into art, or even just regular conversation! the medium is only secondary.

The drive isn't very functional, I doubt it would come from the intellect. It's more like what lies behind the mind... The intellect is a tool just like the body, to the artistic soul.


I like the poem Franz! Although poetry is something I still can't quite appreciate, that says it better than any prose could. You can't really apply literal words to what we're talking about.


Come to think of it, I don't think I've heard a pianist who didn't have that artistic spark to some degree. Just last Fri I heard a local jazz duo where the pianist gave the music life like I've never heard. Walking in, I lamented the sound of the digital piano, but after a while this old dude had the room swimming in the essense of the music.

What was a little sad was how the singer asked someone if they needed something signed for a class... Apparently, university students need the incentive of marks to go see this excellent music.

I'm thinking that something about standardized testing can only be inhibitive to the artistic spirit. Anybody who's learned an instrument to a high level must have begun with a passion, but possibly over years of testing and competition mentality, has lost touch with the artistic spirit. I don't know, but will find out when I get there.