I just love when critics are kind enough to explain the mechanics of how music is written. Just such an example can be found here, in an review by Harriet Howard Heithaus (love the alliterative quality of this name) of the Naples Daily News.
The concert Sunday was to introduce the reconfigured and redesigned Daniels Pavilion at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts. But music and the musicians kept stealing the show.
I hate when they do that.
First it was Glenn Basham, Naples Philharmonic Orchestra concertmaster, and Eric Berg, its associate principal second violinist, playing a Telemann canonic sonata movement from each side of the hall’s midpoint.
Good information. A canonic movement, with the musicians opportunely placed at opposite sides of the hall.
Wait. Is that what you wrote? Playing a Telemann canonic sonata movement from each side of the hall's midpoint.
Do midpoints have sides?
figure escher: Which way again to the midpoint?Then Principal Flute Suzanne Kirton musically somersaulted in, answering Basham measure for measure in a second Telemann canonic sonata.
Musical somersault?
Also, what are these canonic sonatas?
Canonics are the Sudoku puzzles of performance.
Well, I'm pretty sure that totally clears things up.
But perhaps you should elaborate, you know, just for clarity's sake.
These tightly assembled pieces require a second musician to start one to two measures after the first, but playing the exact same score. Each performer must be extremely confident in his or her music because the two never meet until the last notes. Their timing also has to be in perfect sync to keep that carefully constructed musical chase from turning discordant. Kirton, Basham and Berg were great ambassadors for the device, forging tight sequences without ever sacrificing the melodies they were playing.
What piece of Baroque music doesn't need to "be in perfect sync to keep...from turning discordant"?
And, "ambassadors for the device"? Are canonics suffering from bad press?
figure bad decisions: Canonics should probably just lay off the sauce...at least until they score that next big symphony. She sure does make this sound like brain surgery. And my favorite part of this lengthy explanation is that at no point does Ms. Heithaus ever use the root form of the word -- you know, 'canon'.