Klarinet Archive - Posting 000708.txt from 2003/06
From: "Matthew Lloyd" <Matthew@-----.uk>
Subj: [kl] What is Music about?
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 15:01:53 -0400
I disagree strongly. I think that the fact that von Karajan was an
enthusiastic member of the Nazi Party - and used it to help his career -
lessens him as a man and therefore as a musician.
You mention Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Another one who used her membership
of the party to further her career - not that either she or Karajan
needed to ultimately.
But you know what - I don't think either manages to get to the real
heart of the music as reliably as Toscanini. Something about Toscanini
is life affirming and passionate... I would venture to suggest that
relates to his "politics". To hear him conduct Beethoven IX is to hear
something that demonstrates a profound belief in the human spirit - that
very spirit that Hitler et al sought to crush. How can the two not be
connected?
The idea that in America you can be what you want to be is, I'm afraid,
nonsense. Am I right in thinking that you will not even give entry to a
person who is or has been a communist? Is that freedom of speech? Look
at the reaction of American society to anyone who suggests - even for a
moment - that the attack on the world trade centre was explicable in
terms of American foreign policy and you have another example. There is
(in the overwhelming majority of Americans) an assumption that to
consider that suggesting that the attack is explicable (which I believe
it was) equates to suggesting that it was justified (which of course it
was not and could never be).
There has already been mention of those at Aspen who are almost proud of
their total ignorance of the outside world and I would echo the
condemnation of this pride. There has also been mention of the lack of
originality and spontaneity in a lot of modern recordings. I'm not as
well placed to judge this as I probably hear more live music than
recorded music, but certainly the advent of recording has brought a
desire for accuracy that, in my mind and I think in those of others, is
often at the expense of musicality. With a live performance you can
almost risk more, and therefore the potential high points are so much
higher.
So how does all this pertain to Klarinet? I think the answer is that we
need to question why we play the clarinet and why indeed we say we love
music. If the answers are along the lines of enjoyment of some nice
tunes, then I readily concede that your interest in the above in terms
of your music is likely to be little. But I think it is more than that -
as I have said before music is genuinely important. I will never be able
to play Mozart as I would wish (does anyone - even supreme Mozartians
such as Brain or Curzon?) but I can strive. And it makes a difference to
me. This is really a metaphysical position I know, but to me music is a
way to that which is beyond mere corporeal reality. I'm an atheist, so I
suppose that it is in essence as near to religious an experience as I am
likely to have. But that is the analogy that I would make. My road to
Damascus was when I was 17, listening to K488 with Geza Anda, and
something about that piece - which is of course one of the greatest
pieces of music ever written - at that time that opened new ways of
seeing. In a similar vein hearing a rehearsal of the St. Matthew Passion
in York Minster one Easter Saturday was beyond anything I had heard
before.
Matthew Lloyd
-----Original Message-----
From: LARISA DUFFY & DAVID DOW [mailto:DUFFYL@-----.CA]
Subject: Re: [kl] Political postings - ON topic?
Does the fact Reshigi remained in Italy during the Fascist Regime there
detract from his greatness as a composer?..... No. As a man maybe..
.Does the fact Richard Strauss remained in germany during the Hitler
years
detract from his music...no...
Does the fact Prokofiev returned to Marxist Russia under Stalin lessen
his
music? No.
In fact, I really think that if one looks at this political postings
boards
a really strange convoluted lack of thought remains.....
Does the Israel Phil play Wagner
No. Its there loss.
I think political correctness has gone to a point where everyone is
judged....GREAT MUSIC IS GREAT MUSIC.....
Reminds me of the story of when the great operatic soprano Elisabeth
Schwartzkopf came to the US(from Germany on tour) in the 40s and went on
bus
ride. She had never seen blacks before. The driver told her it was
best to
sit at the front of the bus "because the back is for F------ Niggers".
Things in the world have changed but how much? We have equal rights and
finally in North America a person can be what they want to be. Before
we
assume we live in the promised land one has to look at the problems in
our
own culture before we become cultural imperialists....AND EXPORT A BRAND
OF
MORALS THAT IS EMPTY....
Politically
Original Message ----
From: "Patricia A. Smith" <patricia@-----.net>
Subject: Re: [kl] Political postings - ON topic?
>
>
> DAVID DOW wrote:
>
> >We could bomb them with 40 Eb clarinets playing Stranger on the Shore
and
win in 5 minutes....
> >
> Hey, I think that would be more effective than Aerosmith 24/7. Anyone
> got an eefer they want to sell? ;-)
>
> Patricia Smith
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
>
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