Re: some personal revelation experiences with

In-Reply-To: <5.1.0.14.2.20020227075500.024706d0@...>
Jonathan M. Szanto wrote:

> Right, I remember, I don't think Kraig was around at that time. So they
> have the competition for new music, and we'll see how that gets
> accepted, but don't you agree that the biggest part is to come: getting
> someone to make these in quantity for a public that... wants them
> desparately?

I don't know which step is biggest, but the next one is to get performers
to learn the instruments and composers to write for them. Small inroads
are being made in that Donald Bousted has this residency which allows him
to write music, and students of the university are doing the performances.

At the symposium, there was reluctance from both composers and performers
to commit to instruments that other people might not take up. Nobody
wants to learn skills they aren't going to use, and good composers will
hope for more than one performance. To an extent, subsidy can help with
pump priming, but the CNMI isn't getting that much subsidy. It's the same
problem -- who wants to fund instruments that nobody wants?

Still, despite all the problems they've already faced, the instruments are
being built. Composers who want easier or more stable microtonality now
have something to write for. If a small group of performers do get
regular performances and top composers writing for them, the manufacturing
problems will sort themselves out. So the biggest part is probably
getting to that stage.

If people on this list want to help them on their way, your best bet is
probably to write them some music. Whatever the status of the
competition, if you have ideas for 19- or 24-equal trumpet, get in touch
with Patrick and see if he can drum up interest with the performers.

Also, if you can work out how to get onto their mailing list, share any
ideas you have about instrument construction. They have a pretty good
idea what they're doing but there are still some problems to solve, like
the reaction time and heat generated by the solenoids.

Graham

Graham,

{you wrote...}
>I don't know which step is biggest, but the next one is to get performers >to learn the instruments and composers to write for them.

It really is a chicken-or-the-egg situation, no? Progress isn't easy.

>At the symposium, there was reluctance from both composers and performers >to commit to instruments that other people might not take up. Nobody >wants to learn skills they aren't going to use, and good composers will >hope for more than one performance.

No kidding.

>Composers who want easier or more stable microtonality now have something >to write for. If a small group of performers do get regular performances >and top composers writing for them, the manufacturing problems will sort >themselves out.

Wellll, I don't know that I agree with your minimizing of this last part, but certainly the performers/composers/pieces are *essential* to generate interest.

>If people on this list want to help them on their way, your best bet is >probably to write them some music. Whatever the status of the >competition, if you have ideas for 19- or 24-equal trumpet, get in touch >with Patrick and see if he can drum up interest with the performers. Also, >if you can work out how to get onto their mailing list...

Open call to Joe Pehrson: isn't this the group that you submitted your recent Blackjack trombone piece to? Would you mind writing up a short message, containing contact info if you have it, about their activities? I know that some of their postings (from Donald Boustad, I believe) do make it to the ATL occasionally).

>They have a pretty good idea what they're doing but there are still some >problems to solve, like the reaction time and heat generated by the solenoids.

Maybe they can market the instruments to Icelandic musicians... :)

Cheers,
Jon

--- In MakeMicroMusic@y..., "Jonathan M. Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:

/makemicromusic/topicId_2350.html#2354

> Open call to Joe Pehrson: isn't this the group that you submitted
your recent Blackjack trombone piece to? Would you mind writing up a
short message, containing contact info if you have it, about their
activities? I know that some of their postings (from Donald Boustad,
I believe) do make it to the ATL occasionally).
>

****Actually, no... I just submitted to the International Trombone
Society which is based in Leeds, England, where Graham Breed went to
school...

I have their address at home and can post it, but they aren't
specifically oriented toward microtonal music.

I just asked if they might be interested, and whether I should send
it and they said yes, and apparently liked it...

jp

In-Reply-To: <5.1.0.14.2.20020227085008.00aba700@...>
Me:
> >I don't know which step is biggest, but the next one is to get
> performers >to learn the instruments and composers to write for them.

Jon:
> It really is a chicken-or-the-egg situation, no? Progress isn't easy.

Yes, it's the same as with any new technology, and we're at the early
stages now. These things have been tried before, and petered out. Fokker
made those 31-equal instruments, and music has been written for them (I
know, I've got the CD) and there are a load of individual projects in the
gallery.

Me:
> >Composers who want easier or more stable microtonality now have
> something >to write for. If a small group of performers do get regular
> performances >and top composers writing for them, the manufacturing
> problems will sort >themselves out.

Jon:
> Wellll, I don't know that I agree with your minimizing of this last
> part, but certainly the performers/composers/pieces are *essential* to
> generate interest.

Instrument makers are good capitalists. If there's a demand, they'll meet
it. Even basset clarinets came back from the grave because of that Mozart
piece and a few new commissions.

> Open call to Joe Pehrson: isn't this the group that you submitted your
> recent Blackjack trombone piece to? Would you mind writing up a short
> message, containing contact info if you have it, about their
> activities? I know that some of their postings (from Donald Boustad, I
> believe) do make it to the ATL occasionally).

No, not the same group. That was a trombone society connected with Leeds
University. Obviously, trombonists don't need new instruments for
microtonality. I don't know if Donald has anything to do with them. I
know he does sometimes follow the big list, but haven't noticed his posts.

> >They have a pretty good idea what they're doing but there are still
> some >problems to solve, like the reaction time and heat generated by
> the solenoids.
>
> Maybe they can market the instruments to Icelandic musicians... :)

To take this seriously, the problem is that the instruments warm up during
performance and go out of tune. The quick fix is probably to warm them up
before going on stage.

Graham

Joe,

{you wrote...}
>****Actually, no...

Oops. Too much to keep track of. Sorry...

Cheers,
Jon

Graham,

{you wrote...}
>No, not the same group.

yeah, sorry. Joe corrected me on that one.

> > Maybe they can market the instruments to Icelandic musicians... :)
>
>To take this seriously, the problem is that the instruments warm up during
>performance and go out of tune. The quick fix is probably to warm them up
>before going on stage.

Right. Didn't mean to 'seriously' poke fun, I just imagined trumpet players with asbestos gloves on or something. Gotta put that spare heat to use *somehow*!

Cheers,
Jon

On 2/27/02 12:39 PM, "Jonathan M. Szanto" <JSZANTO@...> wrote:

>>> Maybe they can market the instruments to Icelandic musicians... :)

They could call it the Bjorkophone.