Klarinet Archive - Posting 001374.txt from 1998/07

From: "George Landis" <George@-----.org>
Subj: Re: RE: [kl] some modern music is just trash to me
Date: Thu, 30 Jul 1998 14:56:00 -0400

May I remind you that many of the works that we regard as masterpieces =
were lambasted as the equivalent of "avant (sic) garbage" when they were =
composed and/or originally performed? The Rite of Spring, Wozzeck, =
Pierrot Lunaire, Tosca, Symphonie Fantastique, much of Mozart's and most =
of Wagner's work, are only a few that come to mind.

This is an argument that can never be won by either point of view because =
you, as the listener, cannot determine whether a given piece will stand =
the test of time and make it into the literature. You can only make a =
decision based on your personal tastes, educational experience, life =
experience and point of view as to whether a particular work is appealing =
to you at the moment.

I have many acquaintances who professed to hate Peter Grimes and Billy =
Budd by Benjamin Britten when we first heard them in the 1960's and who =
now regard them as beautiful and important works. My professors at =
college grew up thinking Prokofiev and Hindemith were revolutionaries, =
which seems a quaint notion now.

Likewise, the Lutoslawski Dance Preludes were considered quite an avante =
garde work when premiered and are now considered by most to be tame =
examples of modern music.

An open mind and a willingness to experience all music on it's own terms =
is called for, I believe.

Regards,

George Landis

>>> "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com> 07/30 12:21 PM >>>
In school, we referred to that stuff as "avant garbage."

kjf

-----Original Message-----
From: David C. Blumberg [mailto:reedman@-----.com]=20
Subject: [kl] some modern music is just trash to me

Mary Sotnik wrote:=20
>=20
> > >> Certainly, there are some forms of music today that are really =
bad,=20
> > >=20
> >=20
> > Which forms are 'bad', and won't the people who really like these =
forms
be a=20
> > bit upset when you tell them? :-)=20
>=20
> ----------------------------------------------=20
> Craig Earl Countryman

=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

This is my response to the above statement.

My soapbox is with some of the extreme modern atonal pieces that composers
pass off as works of music. Experimental junk to me. I was listening to a
Violinist (an upper Chair in the Phila. Orch.) discuss his dislike of
modern, atonal, classical music saying that it alienates the audience, and
is pushed by a very small, but very forceful, loud spoken group. (I'm
speaking of the later stuff, past Boulez Domaines, past Smith 5 pieces) I
heard, or at least sat through some of that at ClarFest. The Larsen that
was performed - I like. Some others, I had to endure listening to them.
There are lost of contemporary pieces that I like, but a lot of them you
CAN hum on the way out of the concert hall (without sounding psychotic)

On a more positive note, one of the highlights of ClarFest for me was
hearing the Concerto by Prinz played by Howard Klug. Nice piece(to me).=20

Sure I'll get flamed, but oh well, I spoke.

David Blumberg
reedman@-----.com=20
http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Music/Blumberg.html=20

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