Readers who aren’t my family may not know that I was a musician for a long time–all through school, high school, and even a college degree. (What, sell out for advertising? Okay!) Back in the days of corn mazes and desperate crushes, I played in the pit orchestra for my high school’s productions of 1776 and Guys and Dolls. While I have fond memories of the piccolo playing fife tunes in my ear and having a desperate crush on the senator from South Carolina in 1776, my favorite memory is from the Guys and Dolls run, where the Salvation Army chorus sings a number “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” (Literally. That line is the entire chorus.)
My stand partner and the cellist and I were all friends, and we were walking out after the dress rehearsal discussing the performance. The cellist, Brian, said that he thought it was going to be good, and that he really liked the “Sit Down Boat” song.
Stand partner and I look at each other. “What song, B?” we asked.
“You know, the one where they sing ‘Sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down BOAT!”
And we had to laugh, because that is exactly what it sounded like the chorus was singing. I can only imagine what the pit orchestra sounded like. Good times with diction and high school music.
Better Living, I think you are a very musically literate person, at least from what I read here. And by my definition, I wholly consider you to be a ‘musician’.
My ‘scene’ is wind ensemble/concert band and classical saxophone as a player, but I follow what’s happening in music education and who’s teaching where (public secondary as well as college level) too. And as far as knowledge about an idiom, jazz is really my strong suit. My interests branch out into divergent areas like pipe organ, early rock and doo wop, 60s/70s/and a little 80s country, and many other things too numerous to list.
Re: quotes and the hipster lingo- an exerpt from “I’m Hip“, one of my favorite Dave Frishberg songs:
I’m hip, but not weird.
Like, you notice, I don’t wear a beard.
Beards were in but now they’re out.
They had they’re day. Now they’re passé.
Just ask me if you’re in doubt,
‘cuz I’m hip.
All very good points, true. But I feel like I’m not an example of a musically literate person–not for someone who majored in it, anyway. I’ve forgotten too much and glossed over even more to begin with. And I certainly don’t keep current on the musicology “scene”.
What’s your “scene”? And if we keep using the quotes, will we look less like hipsters, or more?
To me, the term musician encompasses so much more than just playing an instrument. It’s about critical listening, keen appreciation, staying current with whatever ‘scene’ one follows, being able to teach others in some way (whether that be actual hands-on instrumental pedagogy, or simply being able to explain why Gershwin influenced every aspect of American music since the ’30s) and most importantly, being an example to others of what a musically literate person should be like. Playing an instrument contributes to all that, but it’s certainly not the sole descriptor of the term.
Take me- I’m somewhat of a hack on my instrument. I’m a competent enough player, but I also know my weaknesses and why I’m not gigging with some of the ensembles that I’d like to. My real value as a musician is as an educated consumer, a contributing member of my ‘scene’, and someone who can discern pretty good from just mediocre.
Bother. I hate missing Bach and Bach-related things but at 7:00 yesterday I was in a family dinner and the lining and buttons on the jacket were unsewn. Priorities, priorities…
As for being a musician, it isn’t like riding a bike. It goes fast. One can remain musical, one can continue to have an love of music, but as for being a musician who is able to play one’s instrument tolerably, that does go away.
I don’t have to get off the soapbox; it’s my blog/soapbox! Whee!
You say “…I was a musician for a long time..”, which sounds very past-tense. It concerns me that you might no longer be playing.
[soapbox]One does not cease to be a ‘musician’ overnight. Nee, one does not necessarily cease to be a ‘musician’ when one stops playing.[/soapbox]
May I ask what high school you attended?
By the way, missed you last night. The Fantasia and Fugue in g minor was performed, as was the Liszt Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H.
Good god your waxing nostalgic!