Staged Appalachian Spring by UMD

[Stephen Fine]

A remarkable staging of one of my favorites:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGSctM_8K_E

[GoPractice]

Thank you for posting. I am not sure that everyone is appreciative of musicians moving away from their seats... 

There are so many thoughts. Staging is one and the musician's moving is another. The rebel bassoonist. Memorizing all the parts... If there is a piece to memorize this is one with lovely melodies. I sat through a minimalist percussion composition that was 45min long ( the irony ) that was memorized and I sat there mostly in awe.

Cleveland used to require a movement class. I wonder if there will be more crossover in the future. It is a good time to experiment. Are there other schools that have dance classes? I tried to get a dance teacher to stage the Unaccompanied Bach, but they balked at the necessary research.

[Stephen Fine]

10 hours ago, GoPractice said:

I tried to get a dance teacher to stage the Unaccompanied Bach, but they balked at the necessary research.

I attended a Tafelmusik workshop where they brought in a Baroque dance teacher for the Bach Suites.  Very enlightening.  Highly recommended.

[GoPractice]

5 hours ago, Stephen Fine said:

I attended a Tafelmusik workshop where they brought in a Baroque dance teacher for the Bach Suites.  Very enlightening.  Highly recommended.

Tempi was always a question. I have worked with a historical performer with bourees and gigues but others were an issue.

Clothing weight, restricted movement, there were the intended tempi and what we do now, which is to adapt for our own performance needs is what pulled me out of period work. Did Bach intend for these to be true dance tempi? A la Mr Steinhardt's book? Solo, Due?

There is the bittersweet story of the violin work we acknowledge, the joy and beauty of the cello.

So pitches and harmony aside, on one end of the rhythmic spectrum, there is the metronome. The other is creating rhythmic cadences. The extension of this is the reading of poetry, or verse, or text. The extension of poetry are the words, possibly other meanings? Words have meanings and the time it takes to be absorbed... Why is good tone necessary? Are words, or more important, their meanings better conveyed and memorable in an enlightened state? 

What insights were developed from the workshop? Sounds great...