Klarinet Archive - Posting 000923.txt from 2000/10

From: "Lacy, Edwin" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Critics
Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 16:44:22 -0400

From: leeson0@-----.net

> While what they say may be wrong, and is certainly may be
> hurtful, on occasion it is right on the money; i.e., it is useful
> information that enables the serious performer to learn from it, that
> is, if he or she wishes to do so.
> [.....]
> Examine the writings of Eduard Hanslick, Will Crutchfield, and even
> George Bernard Shaw

Unfortunately, the critics with whom I am familiar, and who too often have
an inordinate amount of influence if not control over the lives of
musicians, are far from the category of Hanslick, et. al. Here, it is often
someone who studied writing in college, and who therefore is supposed to
have a certain amount of command of the language. As far as their musical
qualifications are concerned, they might have attended a few concerts at
some point in their distant past. There are also the sports writers, who
have no games to cover that night, who might be assigned to review an
orchestra concert. Then, there are the college student interns, who are on
the newspaper staff for a period of a few weeks, and who are assigned to
write reviews as a part of their introduction to the various aspects of the
newspaper business.

It's always an interesting and challenging experience to perform a concert,
and then read the review in the next morning's paper. Most of the time,
what I read bears no relationship at all to what I remember about the
concert. It's not just that they are wrong, but rather that their
descriptions or assessments are so far off the mark that they are
nonsensical.

Since the time of Hanslick and other famous critics, the entire nature of
criticism as a field of endeavor has changed. In the 19th century, critics
mostly tended to think of themselves as reviewers of compositions and
composers; now, they are more likely to be reviewers of performances and
performers. Since orchestras today play music of the past, for the most
part, no reviewer cares to write yet another review of a Beethoven or Brahms
Symhony, for example. But, if they are going to sit in judgement of
musicians, would it be too much to ask that they have at least a little
knowledge of music, on which to base their assessment?

Ed Lacy
**************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy, Professor of Music
University of Evansville
1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
telephone (812)479-2252; e-mail: EL2@-----.edu
**************************************************************

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