Re: Humming and singing

[Cristalle Watson <wcristalle@HOTMAIL.COM>]

> From: Elmer Elevator <bobmer.javanet@RCN.COM>
> Reply-To: Elmer Elevator <bobmer.javanet@RCN.COM>
> To: F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU
> Subject: Re: Humming and singing
> Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 14:25:53 -0400

> Students or former students -- do you remember struggles with your teachers
> over humming? Did you subsequently conclude that the teacher was right, and
> that mastery was improved by disciplining yourself not to hum?
I don't find myself humming a lot when I play...but when I do, it is
(curiously enough) almost always when I play Bach, in a fugue or similar
contrapuntal piece. I'm not sure why, but it seems to help me bring out and
shape the individual melodic lines. It seems to help me focus somehow.

Which leads me to a question: did Gould hum with all sorts of music? Did he
favor any specific composers for humming? Does the presence of the hum
indicate that he liked a piece...or that the piece was difficult and he felt
he needed to focus...or what? Is there any music that he never hummed along
with, and, if so, why? Any ideas?

Cristalle

_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus