Klarinet Archive - Posting 000760.txt from 2003/06
From: "LARISA DUFFY & DAVID DOW" <DUFFYL@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: [kl] What is Music about?
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 00:17:21 -0400
Music is vibration.
Let the cosmos ring----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Lloyd" <Matthew@-----.uk>
Subject: [kl] What is Music about?
> 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]
> Sent: 21 June 2003 19:07
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> 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>
> To: <klarinet@-----.org>
> Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 4:59 PM
> 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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> Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
>
>
>
>
>
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