Klarinet Archive - Posting 000061.txt from 2007/05

From: Anne Bell <bell@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Wagner
Date: Tue, 08 May 2007 18:37:48 -0400

There is an economic (and a political) side to art
as well- personally I do let my impressions of a
piece be colored by my impressions of the artist.
Sometimes that means I enjoy the piece anyway-
sometimes not. In the case of some ill-behaved
contemporary actors- I refuse to help support them
with the price of my ticket or movie purchase.
That decision is not based on their skill as
actors. I feel pretty much the same way about
Wagner. It is interesting to argue that the
composer should be divorced from the product when
the composer is Wagner and he wanted this
all-encompassing spectacle..... This "total art
form" that could change society. His aims
certainly weren't just art for art's sake and when
you look at the specific details that Dan has
mentioned already it certainly doesn't make for a
nice message. Certainly not one I have any
intention of supporting. Unfortunately it was
something that the Nazi's did support. I do not
have access to the original source material but I
believe that Wagner's writings on Jews being the
downfall of German music influenced the Nazi party.

I don't think art of any sort exists in a vacuum-
I think it both reflects and influences society.

Take Care,
Anne

www.anne-bell.woodwind.org
Still there.... updating this summer!

Vincent DiMalta wrote:
> I believe this forum is to talk about the clarinet. The art of whomever is
> always perceived by the receiver through their own viewpoint, but I feel to
> bring your viewpoint to another based upon other than art issues allows the
> door to be open for all types of personal issues to like or not to like any
> person, and in the process there is danger to negate the art based who we
> think the person may have been, which may be different than whom the person
> was. Even if the analysis of the person is correct, the conclusion that the
> music is negated by the analysis of the person is questionable at best. The
> art itself is the message, IMHO, and to which our response is ours, to like
> or not to like. Vince
>
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