Doublereed Archive - Posting 000031.txt from 2003/11

From: PhilFrei@-----.com
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Morons Versus Quality; Counterpoint
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 15:27:02 -0500

It's a mistake to deride all of Telemann's work because some of his music was
written to be background music. Some of his music is first rate. I am a
particular fan of this set of duets: (Sonates sans basse a duex flutes traverses ou
a deux violons ou a deux flutes a bec, dediees a Messiers Georg Behrmann et
Pierre Diteric Toennies--1727). There is a tremendous amount one can learn from
them, including some first-rate imitative counterpoint. And he knows just the
right moment to END the imitation, too. Counterpoint, in the hands of a
second-rate composer, can be quite pedantic and self-serving.

The notion that key signatures are obsolete (or that their lack is a sign of
"modernity") comes as a bit of a shock. As a composer myself, I admit making
frequent use of them, and in humble gratitude to the service they have
provided, feel it is important to come to their defence.

I am reminded of the first European musicologists in their initial contact
with Nigerian drumming traditions. The rhythmic complexity was so advanced it
went right over their heads. So much easier to call it "primitive" than to admit
something was beyond their immediate intellectual grasp, and would require
months if not years of study and work to gain true competance.

Phil Freihofner
Oakland