This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi Rich! I wonder if some of the difference might be that jazz pianists are so = often envelope pushers -- in the same sense that Franz Liszt was an = envelope pusher. What they are able to write/perform depends very much = on the technology beneath their fingertips. Classical pianists, on the = other hand, are performing what has already been written -- within the = limitations of existing piano technology. I suspect there may be more = enthusiasm on the part of a jazz musician when his instrument is = suddenly able to "do" more than it did before. In the world of jazz, = including composition and improvisation, that means expanding the = "vocabulary" with which they can work. For a classical pianist, that = means being able to play better what has already been played before. I'm also captivated by the expressiveness of jazz piano. (As a = classical pianist, I'm rather envious of the jazz masters and wish I = could "do" the things they do! But I'm also that way about all forms of = expression, like opera -- wow!) I wonder if the abundant "enunciation" = and "punctuation" of jazz piano requires more of the instrument. Or = perhaps it only requires *different* things of the instrument. I'm not = versed in jazz performance, so I don't really know. I've often wondered why performance pianos don't ship with multiple = actions for different performer preferences. Take out one, slide in the = other. Different piano! Two pianos at far less the cost of two. It = would make sense to me... Peace, Sarah Diane Fox, Ph.D., NPT Columbus, Ohio, United States of America I spent some time reflecting on your post re: an appreciative Ahmad = Jamal (' nothing improves hearing more than praise' ) and the marked = difference in 'attitude' you have experienced between classical and jazz = pianists. One of the reasons I am studying posts on list (and attempting = to share my own experiences/perceptions) is to educate myself (as a = pianist) about my instrument. Learning about the instrument helps me to = understand limitations imposed by design and materials, condition, = regulation, artist ability, and artist preference, and to be able to = distinguish one from the other. Accurate articulation and realistic = expectation of my preferences is a benefit of this education. It is a = humbling process. I am hopeful that performers and technicians will = become more willing to collaborate in each others education.=20 For an artist/performer to vent their frustration toward a technician = (especially in public) is not only ill mannered. It is very likely = unproductive. Some perceptions/observations (not the same as justifications): Historically, jazz artists acquire (they have to in order to survive) = a wider intonation tolerance. Historically, classical pianists are coddled & too many people put up = with the outbursts. In general I think jazz artists are more acclimated to a variety of = performance distractions. I think classical pianists experience (real or perceived) greater = pressure for 'note perfect' performances than jazz pianists. There are 'strictly solo' classical pianists than 'strictly solo' jazz = pianists. (A jazz pianist likely has much broader ensemble experience than solo classical pianist. If you throw a fit at an ensemble gig you = distract and piss off other colleagues, and likely get direct feedback = about it!) Hope you enjoyed the party. and oh yeah, thank you for graciously sharing your = knowledge/experience. Best, Richard Lawrence Olmsted Jr. NRP=20 Hi folks Just got back from tuning this beautiful nearly new Hamburg D for = Ahmad Jamal who's in town. He asked me if the piano was sent up from Paris specially for him. Very nice fellow, made a point out of telling his bass player and percussionist to quite down when he called "the technician" on stage. Smiled at me and said "theres a difference you know". (technician visa vi tuner) Struck me, as more and more I get a sense that Jazz pianists are = much more in touch with their instrument and what it can and cant do, = what to expect from a piano tech and what not to, and in general being able = to relax and make music.... get << that sound >> they are after, to a significantly greater degree then classical pianists. I find = classical players very often to be easily disturbed by the slightest things = and very willing to lash out at the nearest and best potential recipient = of wrath... quite often the piano tech, quite often venting frustration with their own inability to live up to their own expectations. I heard a story not long ago about a former professor (from Bergen) = who upon visiting a conservatory in Sweden, lashed out at the technician = in full public and demanded she make certain adjustments before he = would play. He left the room for a while and she took out her tool box and = did basically nothing for 10 minutes being consoled by a few onlookers = who obviously had understood the situation. Upon returning the fellow = sat down and played a bit and smiled hugely " MUCH BETTER" !!! You know... I have run into exactly one such similiar story about a = jazz pianist in near 30 years of work now. Keith Jarett, and my own = personal experience with him on one occasion was quite eventless. I'm sure it happens more often then this with jazz players.. but still.... there = is a marked difference. Anyways.... I have to admit... I've learned a lot about pianos from working around classical pianists. And thats good as I have an = awfull lot yet to learn, but it is so refreshing to run into these fellows = with such a positive attitude from time to time. I dont get to sit in on his concert as I am at a 50th birthday party this evening, but I did get to hear about 45 minutes of warm up / = sound check. Nice !!! Cheers RicB -- Richard Brekne RPT, N.P.T.F. UiB, Bergen, Norway mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/cd/50/98/2c/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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