technical or emotional?

Vic,

I think that's pretty good way to look at it, but I'm not sure you even need alot of technical skills for someone to say that it's an emotional song. Ireally think it's up to the person listening and how they interpret the music.

I know the Gilbert and Sullivan song and it has a totally differnet emotion to me than you. I totally understand the connection that the song brings to you when you hear. For me since it is not connected to a sad event in my life it's actually a kind of happy, uplifting song to me..always seems to remind me of a early summer day when the sun is shining and every thing is wonderfull. Quite different emotions from the same song so I don't think it has much to do with musical proficiency or playing with emotion, it has to do with my life experiences and how I internalize the song.

I'm curios and you don't have to answer if you don't want to , but do you like to hear the song even though it brings up painful memories of your loss or do you like to hear it because when you do it reminds you of someone that meant so much to you?

I'm curios and you don't have to answer if you don't want to , but do you like to hear the song even though it brings up painful memories of your loss or do you like to hear it because when you do it reminds you of someone that meant so much to you?

Actually I can't stand to listen to the song - it just brings back too many memories of the worst time of my life. I'll leave the room or switch channels if it's ever played, even though it's a beautifully written, emotional piece of music. That's probably just me though - I'm not one for showing my emotions in public. Unless of course I'm putting them to music....

I left this thread alone till now, although I've followed it with interest, but I do agree, it's all down to individual perception. I probably wouldn't have jumped in and written anything on the subject, but that damn song was on the radio yesterday.... first time I've heard it for years, but it still stirred up the same old feelings, even though it didn't get as far as that particular verse.

:D :D :D

Vic

Vic,

Sorry if I brought up some sad memories. My dad just passed away this past january 18th, which happens to be my oldest daughters birthday.

It's going to be weird from now on everytime she has a birthday.

cnev,

It really sucks when someone close to you dies on a special occaision. My brother died on July 4th a few years ago. Every year, that holiday has a bit of sadness to it. Just try to do what I try, use it as a way of thinking it's a way of having him join in the festivites.

There's a lot of good points made on either side of the argument - but isn't the simple truth of the matter that you NEED some degree of technical skill in order to convey emotion? I feel this more strongly about songwriting - how are you going to get your point across to your audience if you can't articulate your emotions? Just as you need some command of your chosen language to make your audience aware of your message, surely you need some degree of mastery of your chosen instrument to get your musical point across?........

.............. there has to be emotion and technique in a piece of music....perfect technique is meaningless unless you've got something to say, and emotion is meaningless unless you've got the necessary skills to convey that emotion. That's my take on it anyway, for what it's worth.....

:D :D :D

Vic

I think that really finalizes the argument. People are partial to what they are capable of understanding. To quote Dave Bruebeck: "style is determined not by what you can play but by what you can't" (Thanks for that quote dc@ro.)

Degas: painting is easy if you don't know what you're doing, difficult if you do.