Classical Music for Aficionados

they have a slight problem , very slight and one they
one they do not know,
Their culture is "how am I doing " , Ours is " how are we doing " . 

I would not consider that a "problem".  Besides, without American Individualism, there would be no Jazz improvisation.  Reminds me when I taught in the Army electronics / Missile school, we had courses that were 'self-pace', and others that were 'lock-step'.  The Europeans have always been "Lockstep".

400 year Catholic Classic:
However, this SB loves Handel's Messiah.  Not quite 400 years old, but, Just recently got a new CD of Messiah.   Will post tomorrow.   I listen to it year round.   I understand it premiered in Dublin instead of London to avoid a religious ruckus.  You probably know the details better than I do.

Cheers

If memory serves , It opened in Dublin because in Enlightenment London
in the early 18th century a theater drew more than a Church , as it did in "Founding Father" America,
When it got such a great opening in Dublin they thought it would be safe in London . And as you know and I approve Handel told then what would
happen if folks did not shape up.

I listen to it 2-3 times a year and a Bach Cantata every morning .

I would guess that God would like Black Gospel just as much .In the Army some of my NCO’s took me to various AME Churches .

I came away with something I still believe .The "Black Church Ladies " are the backbone of Christianity in the USA.


White Americans are largely brainwashed, far more than any Europeans . One thing comes to that, the death of Democracy .
.

Europeans simply have no brains to be brainwashed. You are confused, schubert.

**** Their culture is "how am I doing " , Ours is " how are we doing " .****

Interesting comment coming from a learned professor, but to assume that in music making this is necessarily a “problem” is a mistake, IMO. I assume that he was speaking about the concept of “ensemble”. Yes, in any ensemble small or large, it is important to think as one and feel phrasing as one when necessary....but, not at all times and certainly not at the total expense and subjugation of individuality. Unanimity of musical concept is of paramount importance, but individuality at appropriate times is equally as important; otherwise a performance runs the risk of being very bland. The key to good ensemble playing is knowing when to ask oneself “how am I doing”, and when to ask “how are we doing”. The great ensemble player knows how to strike the right balance between the two.

The comment is particularly interesting because it goes counter to what is one of the main differences in the training of players in Europe vs the US. First, neither European nor American conservatories have a clear advantage nor superiority in all areas of training one over the other. The main problem in the US right now is probably that there too many fine conservatories for the number of jobs available. Importantly, the main difference is that in European conservatories professors tend to overwhelmingly be natives of the country where the conservatory is located. American conservatories have much more diversity in their teaching staff and the various European playing traditions are well represented; and their influence (and others) came together to create the “American” school of playing.  There is no reason that the very relevant idea of the advantages and richness that are the result of diversity should not apply to music making; just as exists bias against it.

As usual, there is danger in generalities. Just one example of the opposite view:

https://nyconcertreview.com/articles/the-european-string-quartet-tradition-in-americathe-henschel-ku...