The Arts in New York City
When watching the Tokyo String Quartet I couldn’t help but look around at the people in the audience. Half the people had their eyes closed and were just listening to the sounds. I genuinely think that these people were missing out on most of the performance. The things that struck me the most were the little things. The violist bodies gently swaying side to side before he started playing, letting the music move him. The orchestrated movement of the bows up and down was amazing. I think when I look back to the performance, after I remember all the sounds these pieces of “hidden art” will stand forever.
Another extremely interesting piece of the performance to me, was when the cellist was plucking his instrument instead of using his bow. When I first heard the pluckings, it sounded to me like one of my favorite bands playing. All i could think about was Flea, the famous bassist, from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Which then led me to think of one of my favorite lines from the movie School of Rock
Dewey Finn: Katie, what was that thing you were playing today, the big thing?
Katie: Cello.
Dewey Finn: Ok. This is a bass guitar. And it’s the exact same thing but instead of playing it like this you tip it on the side… cello, you got a bass.
and then it came to me. All music we hear today can trace its root back to classical works (save for the synthesized hip hop we hear this days). All in all I’m glad I got to see such talented performers doing what they love.
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It’s funny that you mentioned that scene from School of Rock. Every time I see a cello, I think of that scene. It reminds me that the cello, an instrument which I don’t usually hear in my preferred genre of music, is so closely related to a bass, which is present in almost all of my favorite bands. I wonder how the cellist would’ve felt if Dewey had the same interaction with him as he did with Katie.
You’re absolutely right, that all music can trace back to its classical roots. Even Lil’ Wayne and Eminem ,the most talented rappers out there, incorporate orchestras into their music to expand their talent.
I don’t know if I agree with you though when you said that if people didn’t watch the stage, they missed half of the performance. In the beginning, I looked at the stage and I was becoming quite bored. When i stopped looking and closed my eyes, it was then that I discovered the true relaxation that I believe the other audience members were experiencing too.
Although I agree that you would be missing out if you kept your eyes closed throughout the ENTIRE performance, I do believe that there are some benefits to closing your eyes from time to time. While it is important to watch the movements of the musicians in order to gain a better understanding of the talent that goes along with playing a musical instrument, at the same time, focusing on their movements could prove to be quite distracting. I often found myself focusing on insignificant aspects, such as the hair of the violinist flapping up and down as he played. Sometimes closing your eyes could be advantageous because it allows you to take in the music for what it really is, without any distractions. While watching these performances, I believe that it is necessary to find a balance between what you focus on visually, and what you focus on in terms of sound. Once you have attained that balance, you can truly gain a full appreciation for the performance.