Blog 5: July 21, 2014

Observations: 

I have never used Grove before, and based on this interaction with it, really like it. It’s helpful to have definitions for a word like “autograph” from a musical perspective, instead of having a general definition of the word and inferring what it means in a musical context. 

Some insights: 

— Looking at an author’s holographs to see how working as a scribe affected his compositional style seems like an interesting way to study a composer. 

— I was surprised to learn that Beethoven’s sketches excited interest during his lifetime. 

Notes about the Declaration of Independence article: 

This is an interesting point, considering how often the “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” line is quoted and brought up. What if the founders did really mean that all of those rights were constrained within governmental powers? 

In response to the question: 

This is a question I have given some thought to, since as a violinist, I have studied some older works, such as the Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin. The Bach solo works certainly have been recorded in many different styles. I believe that both historical  and modern performance practice can have value, and enjoy recordings of Bach in both styles. To me, an interpretation should be judged “good” if the violinist has looked carefully at the score and tried to bring it to life, no matter if the performer chose to perform it using modern styles of playing or older ones. I certainly enjoy looking at the facsimile of Bach’s solo violin works (there is one facsimile that is widely published) and trying to mine the secrets in the notation.