“String ensemble = orgy.”
I love music. In fact, I love it so much I’d marry it and make love to it. During a lecture on models of language revitalization, I considered the fact that all great musicians take their work seriously and love every second they spend playing an instrument. And in a string ensemble, or an orchestra, or any music ensemble for that matter, the chemistry between players has to be decent enough so that musical voices can interact with each other effectively and expressively. As I was thinking this, I thought, hey, that sounds a lot like having sex. I thought of the times I’ve played in ensembles or quartets, and you must listen and respond to the other melodies and harmonies to create a living amoeba of song (for lack of better words). Depending on the style of music or the feeling you want to get across to the audience, the interactions between instruments can either be affectionate or clashing, but to stay close to the orgy idea, either way it should give off a fun, effortlessly loving vibe. To me, anyway.
