Ian Crisp wrote:

>Jonathan Ellis' reply to David Runnion raises some interesting questions.
>
>it's wonderful if this drudge of a professional musician enjoys every
>moment and still feels the thrill of live music-making not only at every
>performance but at every rehearsal and practice session as well. We'd all
>like that to be true of every anonymous figure in every orchestra we pay to
>hear. ...

All right, I think that we are getting carried away with what my real point
is.  I'll state it again:  IN MY OPINION, persons should be engaged in a
field because they either love it and would be miserable doing anything
else (my take on my own music career), or because they can make boatloads
of money which they can spend doing the things that they really love.  If
any professional musician is so miserable that he can't even bear to listen
to music at home, then, I think he or she should change occupations.  I am
a professional musician because I tried a career in teaching and business
and absolutely hated every minute of it.  I took a substantial risk and an
even more substantial pay cut to do what I love.  I just think that if you
bear tons of resentment toward your chosen field or feel that you are
grossly underpaid, you should get out.

>And yet the result may well be magnificent. Is the professional orchestral
>musician really required to be totally engaged in every moment of every
>performance etc. with every fibre of his being?

No, of course not.  I have phoned in my fair share of performances,
especially if I am not given any inspiration from the podium.  Everyone is
entitled to an off night and I wouldn't expect anyone to constantly be in
the physical or emotional condition to pour it on 24/7.

>If he or she were so engaged, would that "drain" the player of whatever
>there is to give so fast that the emotional / intellectual / physical
>resources would dry up while there was still work to be done?

I doubt it.  The kind of "tired" that I experience after a great
performance is to me, similar to what many new mothers feel about the pain
of giving birth.  I know this isn't true of all women, but many have told
me that the birthing process is a wonderful and exhilerating physical
experience.  I feel that way about making music.

>And what of soloists, chamber groups and even conductors? They all tend to
>"perform" much less often than orchestral players - perhaps that is a
>necessary consequence of the need for them to be more fully engaged in
>their work?

I don't think that I agree with this.  Many big name soloists are out there
3-4 nights a week and travel a great deal in between.

Kevin Sutton