Klarinet Archive - Posting 000153.txt from 2004/04

From: "Dan" <dnleeson@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Fwd: MUSICIANS' QUOTES
Date: Thu, 8 Apr 2004 13:52:01 -0400


-----Original Message-----
From: Don Yungkurth [mailto:chalumeau@-----.net]
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 10:15 AM
To: Klarinet
Subject: [kl] Fwd: MUSICIANS' QUOTES

Bill Hausmann's listing of musicians' quotes reminded me of two of my
favorites, as quoted by Nicolas Slonimsky in his "Lexicon of Musical
Invective":

"I played over the music of that scoundrel Brahms. What a giftless bastard!
It annoys me that this self-inflated mediocrity is hailed as a genius. Why,
in comparison with him, Raff is a giant, not to speak of Rubenstein, who is
after all a live and important human being, while Brahms is chaotic and
absolutely empty dried-up stuff"

(Tchaikovsky's Diary, entry under October 9, 1886)

After an unfavorable review of his "Sinfonietta", Max Reger sent the
following letter to the critic:

"I am sitting in the smallest room in my house. I have your review before
me. In a moment it will be behind me."

Don Yungkurth

Hi Don

Your English verions of the Reger comment caused me to react. It is, of
course, a brilliant riposte and probably appears just that way in Slonimsky,
but there is a slight usage problem that impacts its punch. A precise
translation of the second sentence says, "I have your review IN FRONT OF
me." The distinction between "before" and "in front of" is sufficiently
subtle that Reger's physical position with respect to the review gives much
greater imagery and precision when the words "in front of" are used. Of
course, the fact that he is sitting in "the smallest room of his house,"
magnifies the image perfectly.

I should add that Slonimsky's book has always been a favorite of mine. He
died only a few years ago at a very advanced age and was a remarkable
person.

Dan

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