Music appreciation<\/p>\n
I am writing in reference to Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan's
\narticles on the contemporary (western classical) music scene in
\nJakarta in The Sunday Post (Jan. 26, 1997). There was a wealth of
\ninformation in the articles for the uninitiated, and for those
\nwho only occasionally go to recitals and concerts.<\/p>\n
I was unaware there were so many activities to \"educate\" young
\npeople toward greater \"appreciation\" of (western classical)
\nmusic. From my occasional visits to music performances I have
\ngathered that the public is rather specialized. If you go to an
\ninstrument recital one night, you would see an entirely different
\ncrowd at a song recital. The two \"crowds\" do not seem to know
\neach other. This is really astonishing, because all have an
\nappreciation of music.<\/p>\n
I have often wondered why the crowds are mutually exclusive.
\nDo the music institutes quoted by Laksmi have a course on music
\nappreciation? Are students learning an instrument acquainted with
\nthe tradition of opera and German Lieder, and do singing students
\nlearn about Beethoven's instrumental output?<\/p>\n
Most of the young people at a piano recital seem to be
\npianists or piano students. You will not see them at recitals or
\nconcerts with other instruments. But why are they not interested
\nin other kinds of music? Why do they limit themselves to their
\ninstrument? Isn't there something lacking in their music
\neducation?<\/p>\n
If Laksmi says, \"... encouraging enough for the future of
\nclassical music\", does she mean there is nowadays a broader-based
\nappreciation of classical music in general? Or is it still
\nlimited to one instrument or one type of music?<\/p>\n
I would appreciate it if Laksmi Pamuntjak-Djohan could also
\nenlighten us on the contents of an appreciation lesson for young
\nmusic students.<\/p>\n
What I strongly miss in Jakarta is good orchestral playing. I
\nthink this is crucial to music appreciation. When Benjamin
\nBritten and Leonard Bernstein needed a tool to make young people
\nappreciate music they wrote orchestral works. I may have missed a
\nnumber of quality concerts, both by domestic and foreign
\norchestras, but whenever I went to a concert, the sound was often
\nbelow standard. That is not good for classical music. I think
\ngood orchestral playing is essential to music appreciation.<\/p>\n
S. HARMONO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/music-appreciation-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }