If I Were a Person Who

by Dan Plonsey

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1.	If I Were a Person Who track 1 12:19	buy track
2.	If I Were a Person Who track 2 07:03	buy track
3.	If I Were a Person Who track 3 08:30	buy track
4.	If I Were a Person Who track 4 06:31	buy track
5.	If I Were a Person Who track 5 09:08	buy track
6.	If I Were a Person Who track 6 05:15	buy track
7.	If I Were a Person Who track 7 03:58	buy track
8.	If I Were a Person Who track 8 04:09	buy track

about

Plonsey put down his glass, and spoke. “If my music was written by someone other than myself; if it was written by a person far removed from the city of El Cerrito, a person from beyond this world, and if, somehow, it was still deemed to be 'my' music. . . If I Were a Person Who would be that music.”

Lots of “ifs.” But there is always at least one “if,” thought Plonsey. In this case: what if we do not accept that I am the person who would write this music? This is a “realist” music. It comes from a distant world in which obvious things are widely accepted and valued for their very obviousness. You walk around, you see everyday stuff, and it's all of interest, it's all exotic. Whereas in our world, we struggle along, fulfilling one obligation after another, accepting pretty much nothing but the inevitability of failure. In education, we follow the “gradual release” model: we are gradually released only as we cease to struggle. The composer of this music was neither struggling nor particularly educated.

“I realize this is hard to swallow,” said Plonsey. The difficulty I'm having explaining all this, along with my lack of salesmanship is certainly going to hinder distribution of this music. “The other problem with having someone who isn't me write my music is that then I don't learn how to write music myself,” he said. “Just yesterday I wrote some music of which I am quite ashamed.” Fortunately, thought Plonsey, there is probably more music from that world in which, if I existed, I would not be me. “There is always a lot of music lying around everywhere: music that for whatever reason never gets written. All the imaginary pieces. A whole bunch of stuff. I'll just have to get ahold of some of it, and put it out there, next to this.”

credits

released June 21, 2013

Dan Plonsey, c melody saxophone, composition; John Shiurba, guitar; Lynn Murdock, keyboards; Cory Wright, bass clarinet; Eli Crews, bass; Michael Zelner, clarinet; Josh Smith, soprano saxophone; Suki O'Kane, drums; John Hanes, balaphon and gongs. Engineered by Myles Boisen. Recorded in 2009. Released, and copyright 2013, Dan Plonsey. Photographs and drawing by Dan Plonsey; album design by Tom Djll.

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about

Dan Plonsey El Cerrito, California

Dan Plonsey is a composer and saxophonist. Inspired by music from many times and places, his compositions are irrationally rational, simple-minded, and melodic. The world which enjoys his music celebrates imperfection. Plonsey considers his works the result of being "at least slightly out of step with nearly everything. It draws upon all of my weaknesses as much as upon my strengths." ... more