Klarinet Archive - Posting 000494.txt from 2000/05

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: [kl] Conservatism or not
Date: Mon, 8 May 2000 17:33:46 -0400

> On Sun, 7 May 2000 22:46:42 -0700 "Benjamin Maas"
> <benmaas@-----.com> writes:

> > Compared to the Lowenstern recording that was being discussed,
> > Messiaen is very conservative.

[snip]

> > My use of the term is because there is nothing terribly
> > ground-breaking about the techniques used in performance. Whereas
> > Lowenstern is continually experimenting with sound, timbre, texture,
> > and tonality, this CD does not. It is good, basic, straight-ahead
> > great playing.

Without knowing either of the CDs under discussion, but having been
involved with the ever-arriving and ever-passing 'new' music for many
years, I have to say that in my experience the *best* of it doesn't
'continually experiment with sound, timbre, texture and tonality'.

(Of course, many composers and performers *have* unfortunately been
concerned to do precisely that.)

And if I wanted to say of some playing that it was *great* playing -- of
whatever music, never mind of Messiaen's still terrifyingly potent
'Abime' (after *fifty years*, imagine; *such* old hat!) -- I wouldn't
feel inclined to say at the same time that it was 'good', 'basic' or
'straight-ahead'.

It seems to me that our job is to try to say things worth saying in a
way that includes being able to be clear, elegant, beautiful, brutal,
horrifying, dramatic, outrageous -- even simpering and pusillanimous --
and then, having said these things worth saying, to try to say them
again.

Lowenstern of course may be up to that -- I don't know.

Anyway, beware the false dichotomy.

Perhaps in my later years, I should try 'experimenting continually with
sound, timbre and texture'.

Or not.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE www.gmn.com/artists/welcome.asp
tel/fax 01865 553339

... FANATIC: one enthusastic about something you don't care about.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org