Guy's Books and Thoughts

If I regard my Nov 12 and 14th posts as one post and my post on the
Japanese heroine as a Nodame post, I reckon this will be my sixth post
regarding Nodame.

I looked over Garten's summary of the anime series. I have not seen
the anime series. But I did see the preceding drama. And further
thoughts came to mind.

1) Individuality in music. Of course one must follow the "text"
or score. The score does define certain parameters or boundaries which
the musician must follow. On the other hand no two musicians will play
the score exactly the same way. People are not robots. Maybe that is
why Chiaki tells Nodame and Mine to play the way the want or the
orchestra to express themselves. I think Chiaki has in Nodame has to
recognize and make allowances for Nodame, Mine and the orchestra.
This theme of individuality reminds me of the writings of Kung Fu
grandmaster Adam Hsu. From what I remember, he seemed to contend that
no two kung fu artists are exactly alike. I think he also wrote that
the principles found in Kung Fu are not only found in Kung Fu but
other disciplines such as music. And perhaps as in Kung Fu so in
music, no two artists are exactly alike. One cannot hope to ever be
exactly like one's piano teacher or kung fu sifu.

2) Teamwork. A performance is not simply reading the score or
doing your own thing but also being aware of your partner. Chiaki
follows Nodame's lead and tries to keep up with her. I suppose it is
almost like ballroom dance. (I am reminded of that touching 1995
Japanese film SHALL WE DANCE?). But in this case it is Nodame not
Chiaki who leads And later it is Mine who has to learn to play with
awareness of one's partner. Yes Chiaki does tell Mine to play anyway
he wants. But he also is critical of Mine playing for self
gratification instead of working in tandem with the pianist. He
encourages Mine to listen to Chiaki's piano. My impression is that
the piano and violin are to work in concert. But Chiaki's role is to
keep of with Mine. In other words like Nodame, Mine is to lead and
Chiaki is to follow.

3) Form versus Energy. When I took aikido, one of the concepts
discuss is form versus energy. (Please forgive me this was over 20
years ago, so my memory of the conversations may be hazy). Technique
may be good but there has to be a certain "energy" behind it. I think
this not only hold true in martial arts, but also in music. Or
perhaps different terminology would be used. Chiaki criticizes his ex-
girlfriend Saiko saying that her rival Suganuma had a better
performance, thought Saiko had better technique. My impression is
that Suganuma had a certain "energy," or emotion about her which made
her performance a better performance. In a martial art you need both
form and energy. The two are not mutually exclusive. And this is true
in other disciplines as well.

4) A round about "yes." Chiaki petitions to transfer to the
conducting program, but Maestro Stressman constantly tears up the
request. Chiaki says he will continue to send petitions, since he
wants to be his student. Stressman points out this is unnecessary
since Stressman has agreed to take Chaki as his assistant. In other
words Chiaki is already Stressman's student, though not in the
conducting program. I am reminded of an African-American who studied
in Japan. He said that the female students in Japan would always say
no when he asked them for a date. But they would visit his place to
study. Perhaps that was their way of saying "yes."

5) A disappointing situation working for the best. I'm sure
Chiaki was disappointed by Stressman's refusal to allow him to
transfer. But the arrangement where Chiaki is Stressman's assistant is
the better deal. Chiaki is Stressman's "apprenctice."
(Think of the Donald Trump show). If Chiaki had been allowed to
transfer, his graduation would have been delayed by a year. Under
the "apprenticeship" arrangement Chiaki gets the best of both worlds:
Stressman's "apprentice" student and no delay in graduation.

6) Love triangle dynamics. Nodame and Chiaki's ex-girlfriend,
Saiko are both vying for the same man, Chiaki. In the live action
version, Saiko seems to drop out of competing for Chiaki and instead
shows support for Nodame by giving Nodame a ticket to Chiaki's
concert. Love triangles don't always work this way. In the anime
series KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD,. Kyosuke is torn between chosing two
women: Madoka or Hikaru. Madoka and Hikaru are best friends. Madoka
suppresses her feelings for Kyosuke. Instead she supports Hikaru
efforts to win Kyosuke. However circumstances and nature run their
course and Kyosuke ends up with Madoka. I suppose in the live action
version of Nodame, Saiko, in spite of her disagreeable attitude, does
have some sense of chivalry and recognizes her rival's strength By
giving up her ticket to Nodame, she is showing a sense of
graciousness. My impression is that the Saiko of the anime version is
a lot more disagreeable.

If I regard my Nov 12 and 14th posts as one post and my post on the
Japanese heroine as a Nodame post, I reckon this will be my sixth post
regarding Nodame.

I looked over Garten's summary of the anime series. I have not seen
the anime series. But I did see the preceding drama. And further
thoughts came to mind.

1) Individuality in music. Of course one must follow the "text"
or score. The score does define certain parameters or boundaries which
the musician must follow. On the other hand no two musicians will play
the score exactly the same way. People are not robots. Maybe that is
why Chiaki tells Nodame and Mine to play the way the want or the
orchestra to express themselves. I think Chiaki has in Nodame has to
recognize and make allowances for Nodame, Mine and the orchestra.
This theme of individuality reminds me of the writings of Kung Fu
grandmaster Adam Hsu. From what I remember, he seemed to contend that
no two kung fu artists are exactly alike. I think he also wrote that
the principles found in Kung Fu are not only found in Kung Fu but
other disciplines such as music. And perhaps as in Kung Fu so in
music, no two artists are exactly alike. One cannot hope to ever be
exactly like one's piano teacher or kung fu sifu.

2) Teamwork. A performance is not simply reading the score or
doing your own thing but also being aware of your partner. Chiaki
follows Nodame's lead and tries to keep up with her. I suppose it is
almost like ballroom dance. (I am reminded of that touching 1995
Japanese film SHALL WE DANCE?). But in this case it is Nodame not
Chiaki who leads And later it is Mine who has to learn to play with
awareness of one's partner. Yes Chiaki does tell Mine to play anyway
he wants. But he also is critical of Mine playing for self
gratification instead of working in tandem with the pianist. He
encourages Mine to listen to Chiaki's piano. My impression is that
the piano and violin are to work in concert. But Chiaki's role is to
keep of with Mine. In other words like Nodame, Mine is to lead and
Chiaki is to follow.

3) Form versus Energy. When I took aikido, one of the concepts
discuss is form versus energy. (Please forgive me this was over 20
years ago, so my memory of the conversations may be hazy). Technique
may be good but there has to be a certain "energy" behind it. I think
this not only hold true in martial arts, but also in music. Or
perhaps different terminology would be used. Chiaki criticizes his ex-
girlfriend Saiko saying that her rival Suganuma had a better
performance, thought Saiko had better technique. My impression is
that Suganuma had a certain "energy," or emotion about her which made
her performance a better performance. In a martial art you need both
form and energy. The two are not mutually exclusive. And this is true
in other disciplines as well.

4) A round about "yes." Chiaki petitions to transfer to the
conducting program, but Maestro Stressman constantly tears up the
request. Chiaki says he will continue to send petitions, since he
wants to be his student. Stressman points out this is unnecessary
since Stressman has agreed to take Chaki as his assistant. In other
words Chiaki is already Stressman's student, though not in the
conducting program. I am reminded of an African-American who studied
in Japan. He said that the female students in Japan would always say
no when he asked them for a date. But they would visit his place to
study. Perhaps that was their way of saying "yes."

5) A disappointing situation working for the best. I'm sure
Chiaki was disappointed by Stressman's refusal to allow him to
transfer. But the arrangement where Chiaki is Stressman's assistant is
the better deal. Chiaki is Stressman's "apprenctice."
(Think of the Donald Trump show). If Chiaki had been allowed to
transfer, his graduation would have been delayed by a year. Under
the "apprenticeship" arrangement Chiaki gets the best of both worlds:
Stressman's "apprentice" student and no delay in graduation.

6) Love triangle dynamics. Nodame and Chiaki's ex-girlfriend,
Saiko are both vying for the same man, Chiaki. In the live action
version, Saiko seems to drop out of competing for Chiaki and instead
shows support for Nodame by giving Nodame a ticket to Chiaki's
concert. Love triangles don't always work this way. In the anime
series KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD,. Kyosuke is torn between chosing two
women: Madoka or Hikaru. Madoka and Hikaru are best friends. Madoka
suppresses her feelings for Kyosuke. Instead she supports Hikaru
efforts to win Kyosuke. However circumstances and nature run their
course and Kyosuke ends up with Madoka. I suppose in the live action
version of Nodame, Saiko, in spite of her disagreeable attitude, does
have some sense of chivalry and recognizes her rival's strength By
giving up her ticket to Nodame, she is showing a sense of
graciousness. My impression is that the Saiko of the anime version is
a lot more disagreeable.