by on

Sheldon Kopp’s book with this title is definitely worth the read. The title actually comes from the 9th century Chinese Buddhist monk Linji Yixuan. I read it about twenty or more years ago and it was definitely food for the soul. The thesis in this title proposes rejecting external authority and dogma and instead trusting in your own experience and understanding.

In our culture here in the western world, we’ve largely moved away from the worship of an external god. Yes, many still believe and follow religions, but the worship has become more overtly directed at humans. A great example of this is the “Rock Star” of professions like sports, entertainment (actors), leaders and those who obtain large amounts of wealth. We want to follow them, be like them and think about them often when reflecting on our own lives. We also pay a lot of money to hear and see them. We talk about them incessantly and idolize their lives and achievements.

Having been steeped in the classical traditions of piano playing, those “Buddhas” are the composers, the great interpreters/performers, the great teachers that we bow down to. They are like gods to many. We worship the way they play or write music. Of course, great wealth and cult followings envelop these personalities. Historically, one can find concert halls filled with the “who’s who” in the audience: the worshipers. Sometimes the worshipers aren’t even interested in the art form/performance, they are just interested in being part of an experience where they can be seen as appreciating the “greatness” as presented. Even if it isn’t greatness, sometime worshipers follow because others do, wanting to be part of the crowd; sheep following the shepherd. It’s a bit twisted, don’t you think? These perceived giants are just people like everyone else struggling with their own lives. I’m not diminishing the authentic experience of listening to great music and being brought to tears, but how often do you see classical audiences react in authentic ways to the performance. Traditionally, it’s sit still, don’t move, and be quiet for fear you bother someone. It can even be about building Cultural Capital; connections through classical music to be exploited for other purposes.

I remember when the great musician/pianist Chick Corea came to perform at Aeolian Hall for the first time (28 Grammy Awards) and we had dinner together. Chick loved classical music, but he made a statement to me that I’ll never forget:

“Classical musicians take themselves too seriously”.

I asked him to explain this and he reflected on his own journey with classical music (incidentally, this was his greatest passion) and the culture he experienced.

He lamented the inauthentic pursuit of the best performance, the closest adherence to the written text and the elusive “truth” of the very best musician or interpreter of a work. Don’t you dare change a single note or detail the composer has written. It is a sacred text to be venerated and worshipped.

Then there are the composers. Throughout my career I get asked questions like: “who’s your favourite composer….pianist….work of music etc.” “What was the very best performance you ever attended?” Not a lot of talk about how the music or how performance affected your spirit. Authenticity is often completely lost here! It seems like it’s more like “collecting and possessing” than “experiencing and reflecting”. “Oh, that performance in Berlin that I attended of Turandot was certainly rated as the best ever presented…and I was there!” Aren’t I great and special?”

Then there’s the competitions. So many of them now and so many winners. Before international competitions, artists were recommended by their peers for their capabilities and artistry. Now it’s the olympics for the arts. Having art as a competition is antithetical to the creative process.

I worked for years with the great French pianist Cécile Ousset. She sat on the juries of many of the big competitions and had participated in competitions in her youth. I asked her how a decision was made to choose winners. She said: “we choose someone with a lot of experience”. I then asked her: “Why don’t we make competitions for older players who have lots of experience”. She said: “That’s a great idea”.

Completely messed up, right?

I also asked Mme Ousset if the jury ever heard much interesting playing. She said: “no, rarely”. Often Competitions make artists choose winning interpretations rather than their own authentic ones. Playing something in a way that pleases the most or working on technical perfection over spontaneous risk taking.

I hope society can find space for arts for “arts sake”. The creative process as being one of truly “living and experiencing” rather than worshipping and winning. We will all grow immensely and find our creative outlets if we return to building who we are with great authenticity.

by on

We live in a time of technology and electronics. There are so many benefits to technological innovation and so many downsides as well. You probably have read a book in electronic format by now (or at least some part of one) and also read a traditional paper book. The digital text and screen is convenient and space saving. It might also be environmentally friendly (although there are debates about the ecological imprint of an electronic device, its manufacturing footprint on the environment and how often it needs to be replaced and recycled. There’s also the issue of the screen time and what this is doing to our bodies and minds. Real books save your eyes, don’t emit radiation and look great in a library:)

Enter the piano. Digital pianos abound. You can by the cheap partial keyboard piano online or in stores in many places. You could by a full keyboard/electronic piano at places like Costco fairly cheaply. You could also invest in cutting edge technology with a Yamaha digital piano (there are many different kinds including ones that have real actions in them).

When it comes to real pianos (I mean the acoustic kind made of wood, metal, real strings etc.), there are so many options. You can by some pretty cheap ones being produced in places like China (even Yamaha has entry level upright pianos and grands that are not great quality). You can also spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on brands like Bösendorfer or Fazioli.

How does one make a decision about the right piano for your personal needs? First off, quality is everything. Buy the best and the biggest (with acoustic upright and grand pianos) you can afford. Why? You could argue that “my son/daughter is just starting out, so we’re going to buy a less quality/expensive piano”. This is a fundamental mistake. Every note you play, how the keyboard feels and how the sound forms, sets the human response. If the sound is artificial (electronic sampling) and poor quality, there will be a huge negative impact on the human response to the music. If the strings are really short in length, they will not produce great sound. The longer the strings, the better the sound quality. That’s why there are such things as concert grands on stages of concert venues around the world. If you buy cheap, you are setting up the possibility of failed interest in music.

I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to electronic instruments. They are convenient for moving around and not needing tuning. You can also often sample many different types of sounds like harpsichord and organ. When in a pinch, I’ve practiced on these myself. I’ve even travelled with them when on tour, practicing in the hotel room with headphones on. If you buy one of these instruments, be sure to get the best quality you can afford: the sampling of sounds and keyboard weighting will sound and feel more like a real piano. These instruments are often very convenient if you live in an apartment. Yamaha has a technology that can be installed in acoustic pianos that allows one to switch from acoustic to digital, so you can have the best of both worlds. It’s called the Diskclavier.

Much of the music written since the late 18th century for keyboard was written for a real acoustic piano. I highly recommend the purchase of an acoustic instrument over top of the digital ones. The ability to blend/mix sound cannot be matched by an electronic piano. Like a real book, your body’s response to the sounds and music created by a real piano will be different than an electronic digital instrument. The piano is a a magnificent invention that so many composers loved and continue to love today. Do some research and find a wonderful acoustic instrument if you can make that work for you. The brands I recommend are Yamaha (high quality and stand up in multiple climate zones), Bösendorfer, Steinway, Fazioli (if you can afford one of these, I’ll be right over to play it for you!), Kawai, Bechstein, Schimmel, Steingraeber & Söhne, Grotrian-Steinweg, and Sauter. 

You can purchase a used piano, but remember, pianos are like cars, they don’t age that well. Don’t buy an old piano unless it’s been completely reconditioned with new hammers, new strings and other important replacements. Even with a complete makeover, the quality might not be that great as the sound board has likely lost its crown (this is the wood under the strings). Do some research and learn as much as you can about pianos before you buy one!