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Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 23:44:15 +1300
From: "G."
Subject: Re: George Will

Hello,
Quite frankly, the single comment that included the word "harmonica" quoted
from Mr Will's column seemed to be a spontaneous off the cuff metophore that
he just happened to think of at the time of writing to try an illustrate a
point.
It was a triviality in passing, nothing more.... not a deliberate strike at
the harmonica more than using similar a metophore with the banjo or
accordian or recorder or jaw harp any number of instruments that can and are
treated in this way by many.

Obviously his choice of the harmonica hits those of us who care about them.

But it appears to me to be symptomatic of the bigger picture - there is a
larger prevailing attitude in the Western world, regarding the harmonica as
trivial. In my opinion, no facts. I'm sure Glenn will readily agree
considering our last long winded discussion regarding popularity and
majority attitudes.

Perhaps its worth sending this particular column writer (who I don't know
from a bar of soap). If he's anything close to some of the comments we've
seen here I believe he still won't give a toss or pay much if any attention
to anything we have to say.... putting it very politely in more words than
he or many others have to say on the matter.

However, there may be more effective and long reaching ways we can spend our
time to slowly shift the tide of perception about the instrument..... one
of which is performing really well. :o)

Another is finding ways to get people interested and keen in the instrument
as Glenn & Jon and many others are working to do. Get the kids into it,
over long term the parents may follow.

The harmonica has a strange addictive quality that just takes over your life
... so lets peddle harmonicas!!

G.

- ----- Original Message -----
From: Glenn Weiser
To:
Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2002 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: George Will

>
> > Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 09:59:52
> > From: "Robert Eberwein"
> > Subject: George Will, on harmonica
> >
> > >From: Scott Albert Johnson
> > >Subject: George Will column In George Will's March 12 column ("Onward
and
> > >Upward"), amongst his usual drivel, Mr. Will includes
> > >a slur on one of the most expressive instruments known
> > >to man.
> >
> > "Were Bush to attempt the Ciceronian
> > >flourishes of John Kennedy..." Will writes, "it would
> > >be like Handel played on a harmonica."
> >
> > >SNIP>>
> > >Mr. Will should
> > >stick to writing about the things he understands (like
> > >baseball, perhaps), and eschew the topics about which
> > >he knows very little (music, true patriotism, eloquent
> > >expression, and just about anything else in the real
> > >world).
> > >
> > >Scott Albert Johnson
> >
> > Actually, George Will knows quite a bit about music/history/politics,
Scott,
> > and is one of the smartest guys I know. I don't know about you but I'd
hate
> > to sit through Handel's Messiah on harmonica- much like I'd hate to sit
> > through ~Joe's Garage~ on all violins [or the ~Nutcracker Suite~ on
Tuba].
> >
> > George's point is that we should be who we ARE, and KNOW who we are.
Bush
> > shouldn't try to be Cicero. Pavarotti shouldn't try to be Mick Jagger.
> >
> >
> > Robb [who shouldn't try to be Winslow]
> >
>
> Having been a newspaper columnist, my work has appeared on the same page
with Mr. Will's.
> And he certainly is immensly knowleable, in spite of his idiotic belief
that Democrats can do no right and
> Republicans can do no wrong. Plus, he's a pompous SOB who would suffer
multiple facial fractures if he ever smiled on TV.
> Obviously that statement is a slur on the harmonica. Yes, "Water
Music" would lose it's granduer on the harmonica,
> but is there no Handel that would ever work the thing? C'mon. A case in
point is the fasct that Beethoven arranged his second symphony
> for piano, cello, and violin. The idea of grand music scaling down to more
intimate, smaller music is an old one - Mr. Will would have done
> well to consider this point. Heck with him.
>
> Glenn Weiser
> http://www.celticguitarmusic.com/harppage.htm
>
>
>
>