by Wissam Boustany
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 13:00:13 -0500
From: WBoustany@AOL.COM
Subject: ON INTONATION AND INTUITIVE LEARNING
Dear Friends
A few weeks ago, I was following an interesting discussion here about intonation, that has been niggling on my mind ever since. I would like to apologize for being so silent over past months, but things get busy and I am not having time to sit down to formulate my thoughts properly -- when this happens, I prefer to remain silent.
As far as I can see, the issue of intonation is a complex one, with many dimensions and approaches to it. In my formative years I was inspired by players/teachers such as Trevor Wye, William Bennett, Michel Debost and Jean-Pierre Rampal; Aurele Nicolet and Peter Lukas Graf, who were all important influences in their own ways -- out of all these players, I was closest to Trevor (as my teacher) and Wibb (as "the man who could achieve almost impossible sonorities in performance"). Both of them have a very strong dedication to the issue of "intonation" in flute playing, which apparently turns out to be one of the most important facets of what makes them sound the way they do (I am aware that this is a generalisation that is only a part of the truth of their make-up as musicians/flutists -- but they DO talk a lot about this issue). I do not know how the players I idolised when I was younger have actually affected my own playing -- but I DO know that, as with all things powerful and convincing, the work needs to start from within, for each and every one of us -- even if certain conclusions are the same as what others have found out before us There is absolutely nothing wrong with "re-inventing the wheel", if the result is that a person has discovered important truths in the process and life is not taken for granted.
These are the "parameters" of my quest to become a deeper musician: I am a flute player/person who does not feel the need to read books in order to qualify my opinions -- in fact, I consciously refuse to do so. I prefer to work things out on my own (although I certainly acknowledge that I do not live in a vacuum and that outside influences play their role). I do not need science to back up my theories/concepts/methods -- if "it works" and I am intuitively connected to the result, I am happy with that outcome and feel no need to interfere with it. I do so, COMPLETELY happy to face the consequences of standing on such a narrow platform, because I don't feel the need to please academia, nor do I desire to impress other flute players with my knowledge -- my aim is to speak through my flute and to perceive life's cosmic energies through the music that sings in my heart. I abhor the idea of regurgitating other people's knowledge and passing it on, in diluted form and much prefer to experience life using my own senses. The reason I do this, is because I believe it leads to a more personal/intuitive connection with life, which in my view transcends "objectivity" as an aim/method (anyway, I am not sure whether it is possible for human beings to be totally objective -- because we always seem to have a specific "angle" or "agenda").
So that is the background -- now the subject: Intonation.
"Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder": this is a fascinating subjective concept -- one that I feel is very true -- perhaps this is why there is such diversity of attitude and opinion in life -- and I think that intonation is no exception. In the eyes of THIS beholder, here are some issues that the challenge of "being in tune" brings up:
CULTURAL INFLUENCES
Our perception of intonation is deeply influenced by our cultural origins, or simply what we are used to. Modes and instruments differ dramatically, so our ears get used to hearing things in a certain way. Consider this fact alone: even within "western baroque" music the differences between the modern flute and the Traverso are huge -- even within repertoire that has been in circulation for hundreds of years. What might seem "out of tune" to someone who plays the modern flute, is part of the character, charm and individuality of the instrument to someone who plays the Traverso -- and an absolutely integral part of the expression of the music.
In a similar way, quarter tones (and smaller intervals) within the modes of Middle and Far Eastern music or "blue notes" in Blues (not to mention the many other ethnic traditions around the world), can often seem alien and uncomfortable to the "western classically trained" ear, yet these are completely normal, desired and deeply moving to the "eastern" ear.
HOW IMPORTANT IS INTONATION?
The answer to that (partly) is: of course it is VERY important. But other issues also influence our perceptions when we hear a performance. Sometimes I find bad intonation excruciatingly painful to listen to -- but I have also heard performances that have been out of tune, yet deeply moving and satisfying. The reason for that, I think, is because there is a hierarchy of priorities that make a performance more or less successful.
When a performance is backed up with real emotional and aesthetic depth and concept, it is easy to be seduced away from inaccuracies in pitch. Equally, if a performance is perfectly pitched, but has little emotional weight behind it -- the result is sterile and unsatisfying, but in tune.
Therefore, issues of pitch control HAVE to be linked to other very important issues of flute playing and musicianship (balance, timbre, and rhythm, breathing and general physical comfort while playing) -- if the playing is to be inspired.
PHYSICAL SENSE OF THE WORD - HARMONICS AND SCIENCE
All living creatures are what they are, not by pure chance (although I imagine this plays a role too), but because of the unique genetic pool that we derive from. Our physical, mental, emotional existence is a direct consequence of this. We are also shaped by our environment (thank god!) which means that our life has a destiny beyond imprisonment by our genes -- but much of what we are is "pre-destined", to a large extent.
The notes that are born out of our lungs and flutes are living organisms just like you and me. They derive from a harmonic pool that is as diverse and complicated as you and me. To understand the complex make-up of notes and the relationships that connect individual notes to each other, is to begin to experience and understand the wonderful world of being in-tune, in a deeply sensual/physical sense.
Science has analyzed the phenomenon of harmonics it great detail, which is interesting - but not very relevant to musicians, in my view. Music-making is essentially a sensual/emotional/conceptual discipline -- this is why a gypsy who has never read a book in his life can play in tune, moulding harmonics to achieve cosmic vibrations between notes -- yet he may never have heard the term "harmonics".
RELATION TO HARMONY
I have a deep mistrust of tuning machines -- and metronomes. The ability to play in tune with a tuning machine does NOT transfer itself easily into playing with living, breathing musicians, often playing on instruments that create notes stemming from very different genetic pools (harmonic series) than our own instruments.
It takes many years of practise to learn to make the adjustments necessary for each note, for it to find its rightful place within the chords we play. You DON"T need to know the names of the chords -- but you DO need to know whether you are the root, third, fifth or leading notes etc -- and playing with pianos is a particularly interesting challenge -- because they are intrinsically out of tune with themselves (equal temperament).
A very good exercise is to improvise on a simple drone note -- and really understand the emotional and physical relationship of each note to the drone. This is actually the origin of harmony as we know it today and is at the root of much of what gives music its emotional tensions and releases.
METAPHORIC SENSE OF THE WORD
There is another dimension to be considered: being metaphorically "in tune" with what we are playing. This expression exists outside the world of music, of course.
When we are metaphorically "in tune" with something, this means we are at ease, in flow, happy within our environment. This means we are physically and emotionally secure and in balance. This has a huge effect on our ability to control the pitch (especially when playing at the extreme limits of our dynamic and emotional range). Most flute playing I hear is not sufficiently prepared, for the performer to feel so secure; so the resulting tension and tightness often lead to compromises in pitch. One of the most effective remedies for this: playing from memory, because it allows us to see everything before it arrives, and empowers the performer to dominate situations as they arise.
MUSICAL ASPECT
There is also a musical dimension to intonation.
For example, when we play a slow movement that speaks of ethereal spiritual flows that defy gravity -- we need to BE THERE OURSELVES otherwise we wind up flat (even if we are actually playing in tune).
Another example, is when we are playing big, powerful music and we are playing extremely sharp -- the reason for this is that we are physically uncomfortable and out of touch with our breathing -- the end result is "sharp and hysterical" rather than "powerful and rooted in the notes we are playing".
We must take extra pains to insure that we are living the music in emotional terms -- to be in-tune with the emotions and dimensions of the music. If intonation was as simple as "turning in or out" -- we would all be consummate masters.
TECHNICAL ASPECT
A by-product of playing in tune, is technical facility.
It is easier to play legato between notes when we understand the relationships within notes and are therefore able to better manipulate harmonics. Splitting notes also comes largely as a consequence of being out of touch with the physical make-up of notes that we play. Beauty and consistency of sound is also a consequence of the harmonics being in tune with themselves (and us being in tune with them).
BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Never forget that if you have 500 people in an audience, each one of these people is going to hear something different -- depending on where they are sitting, what instrument they play or don't play, which culture they grew up in, what kind of a day they are having, if they know you or not -- the list goes on and on.
All you can do, is be yourself -- and to try to behold yourself as others would -- listen very, very carefully.
ASKING A QUESTION IS MORE PRODUCTIVE THAN FINDING A DEFINITIVE ANSWER
Eternal quest and perpetual curiosity are usually more rewarding than finding an answer. Finding an answer is to arrive at a dead-end -- a full-stop. Where do we go from there? Sooner or later, we find that we are moving on from these same answers anyway -- so we might as well resist the temptation of closing the book in the first place. For me, the most interesting prospect is the idea of a "blank page" where all is possible, and nothing has been preconceived.
If the truth "lies between the lines" why do we bother with the words in the first place?
Love
wissam
-- Wissam Boustany
Towards Humanity
12 Walham Grove
London SW6 1QP
United Kingdom
Email: WBoustany@aol.com
website: www.wissamboustany.com
