Hello from a Newbie

[cyclingmartin]

Hello from Cornwall, in the south-west corner of Great Britain.

I am a musician who has always been interested in ballet, though primarily from the musical end. For example, I have known the music of Tchaikovsky's ballets for years. Likewise for Stravinsky, deFalla, Prokofiev and other composers who wrote music specifically for ballet. Conversely, I hardly knew the ballet music of Minkus and other highly skilled specialists of his kind -- but only because the music per se is less interesting than is the music of the other composers I've mentioned.

Since I retired from full-time work, I've had time and space to explore ballet in more detail. It's been an immensely rewarding experience; but also a challenging one. It's helping me to appreciate the skill of specialist composers such as Minkus; but above all it's presented me with ideas and perceptions that are stretching my presuppositions, especially about the physical aspects of ballet. (Disclaimer -- I'm a lousy dancer of any kind; and I cannot catch a ball.)

In music, I understand compositional techniques; so I can talk about and write invertible counterpoint, harmony, orchestration etc. But I understand nothing about ballet technique. I do not know the technical language beyond having some idea of what are an arabesque, a fouétte and a pirouette. (When writing in English, does one use the acute accent? It seems that some do; some don't.)

I applied to join this forum because this is a place in which there seems to be plenty of technical discussion and information. Also, this is one of the most international-minded groups.

So I intend to post a topic or two, largely to present questions of those who understand ballet better than I. (I'm sure that, as in music, knowledge about, love for, and understanding of, are not at all the same things.)

Many thanks,

Martin

Edited September 28, 2018 by cyclingmartin

[Helene]

Welcome to Ballet Alert!, Martin!

[cyclingmartin]

Thank you, Helene.

[howpureisivory]

2 hours ago, cyclingmartin said:

Hello from Cornwall, in the south-west corner of Great Britain.

I am a musician who has always been interested in ballet, though primarily from the musical end. For example, I have known the music of Tchaikovsky's ballets for years. Likewise for Stravinsky, deFalla, Prokofiev and other composers who wrote music specifically for ballet. Conversely, I hardly knew the ballet music of Minkus and other highly skilled specialists of his kind -- but only because the music per se is less interesting than is the music of the other composers I've mentioned.

Since I retired from full-time work, I've had time and space to explore ballet in more detail. It's been an immensely rewarding experience; but also a challenging one. It's helping me to appreciate the skill of specialist composers such as Minkus; but above all it's presented me with ideas and perceptions that are stretching my presuppositions, especially about the physical aspects of ballet. (Disclaimer -- I'm a lousy dancer of any kind; and I cannot catch a ball.)

In music, I understand compositional techniques; so I can talk about and write invertible counterpoint, harmony, orchestration etc. But I understand nothing about ballet technique. I do not know the technical language beyond having some idea of what are an arabesque, a fouétte and a pirouette. (When writing in English, does one use the acute accent? It seems that some do; some don't.)

I applied to join this forum because this is a place in which there seems to be plenty of technical discussion and information. Also, this is one of the most international-minded groups.

So I intend to post a topic or two, largely to present questions of those who understand ballet better than I. (I'm sure that, as in music, knowledge about, love for, and understanding of, are not at all the same things.)

Many thanks,

Martin

Welcome! I have family roots in Cornwall! Penzance/Gulval, specifically!

Looking forward to what you post!