Re: Word culture

RBFST1 who-is-at vms.cis.pitt.edu
Wed, 18 Oct 1995 12:27:44 -0400 (EDT)

Two of my favorite jazz pianists are Count Basie and Thelonious Monk. Each
relied upon silence as much as the notes they actually played. So, too, did
the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young. For me, the beauty of their
playing lay in what they didn't play. They can evoke so much emotion and
beauty from very few notes. From this I would like to comment on the
primacy of language.

A painting, a piece of music can convey as much, if not more, emotion than a
dozen tomes. Lately, I have been spending a great deal of time listening
to and studying Beethoven's last piano sonata, OP. 111--between work on my
dissertation. When I try to explain to people what this work means to me,
I fail miserably. I can list a dozen adjectives, but none can convey its
meaning. Invariably I say just listen. If it touches you fine, if not
there will be something else. Words just get in the way sometimes.
Interestingly, musical scores contain a great deal of verbiage: directions
on fingering, tempi, dynamics, and so forth. These are all important, but
the key element that brings everything together comes from within: emotion.
You can follow the directions and play all of the notes perfectly, but
without feeling, it's noise.

I've written far more than I meant to.
Robert Faux
Department of Psychology in Education
University of Pittsburgh
rbfst1 who-is-at vms.cis.pitt.edu