Klarinet Archive - Posting 000299.txt from 1994/11

From: Christopher Zello <en444@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Contemporary orchestral music
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 00:30:55 -0500

There seems to be a few problems I found with Dawn A's recent
posting on the Klarinet about this topic. I feel kind of bad
for Jim S., I totally sympathize with him--he is also a composer,
and in the purest sense his works should be heard.

But I think it is unreal to suggest that mixed meters should
automatically be incorporated in lesson materials for younger
students. I believe that most of these students have enough
trouble figuring our how to play Brahms, Mozart, Babin, and
countless others. I see a trade off. My question is. . .at
what point do we sacrifice learning classics to learn, say,
mixed meter, or contemporary clarinet techniques (fluttertong.,
multiphonics, or circular breathing)?

As far as school orchestras learning contemporary pieces to
give them exposure, I really don't see that as practical.
Again, it becomes a trade off. . .at what point do you give
up learning Mozart, Tchaikovsky, or Beethoven to learn the
most contemporary orchestral literature? Dan is correct in
saying that none of the students in an 80 piece orchestra may
never play that specific piece in their lifetimes. Is it
worth giving up valuable time for that?

Although I am barely in my mid-20s, I look around and see a
failing music scene. . .to some extent clear around the world.
Some bad composers have the bucks and practically pay off
conductors to perform their junk (I take offense to a recent
piece I heard by Richard Nanes. . .he is certainly no Joan
Tower or John Corigliano. . .why even play his Symphonies?).
There are places where music is emphasized, but really not in
the school systems. It looks like parents have to haul their
kids to Music Centers or community ensembles where people
are training them. But really, are musicians better trained
today? Twenty years from now, who will be replacing great
clarinetists? By that time, some people will not even know
who Harold Wright was. . .possibly.

I only tend to pose more questions. I have no answers. I
just do not see a favorable music scene, especially here
in the US. . .budget cutbacks, orchestras go under, concerts
are cancelled, seasons reduced, pieces are selected which
use fewer players, and the story goes on. Meanwhile, you have
an audience which is less intelligent, unwilling to hear
contemporary works, and the standard is dropped, yet they
still manage to applaude. Why?

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