[Trombone-l] music appreciation

[George Carr]

> - The "frame effect" is powerful. Put a competent player in Carnegie
> Hall and people will assume he's worth listening to. Send a great
> player out busking, and people will assume he's ordinary.

Yeah, I liked the analogy to abstract painting: outside its context,
it's tough to expect.  I have heard for years that Philip Smith is an
active Salvation Army bandsman; I imagine that NYC shoppers would have
no idea that the guy playing hymns for donations at the exit is one of
the world's finest trumpeters.

> - People really can be wrapped up in quotidian distractions like work,
> catching the train, an so on.

And one of the most interesting parts of that is, music can itself be
distracting: some of the folks rushing by were listening to portable
music players.  I myself routinely wear an iPod or portable MD when
I'm out bicycling or doing yardwork, etc.; if Joshua Bell set up at
the entrance to my local bike trail, I wouldn't even hear him.  And
yet I'm one of the 'few' that would appreciate it.  So that's an
interesting kind of irony.

> - While good music has universal appeal, having some musical education
> and experience equips a person to recognize and appreciate the good
> stuff.

No question.  Even people who dropped out of school band at age 12
have more of an 'ear' for musicianship than most who never studied it.
 One of the (many) reasons why music lessons (and not just music
appreciation) is part of every good school curriculum.

George