Klarinet Archive - Posting 000764.txt from 2002/05

From: w7wright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: Re: [kl] A Colour Symphony op. 24
Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 18:51:53 -0400

<><> Mark=A0Gustavson wrote:
when the extramusical explanations disappear from one's experience of
music, then the music becomes more transparent and the experience more
profound.

I suspect that you have identified the 'root cause' for this debate.
Thank you for expressing it so concisely.

.... after I posted the anecdote about my granddaughters and "Pictures
At An Exhibition", I realized that immediately before the incident, I
had been listening to Bruch Double Piano Concerto. To my ear, these
compositions share much in common, and I expect that the Bruch
composition 'prepared' me to choose the Mussorgsky composition when I
needed a grand castle complete with action.

The question is: would I profit or lose if music didn't deliver these
feelings to me? It's easy to say "Neither, we're just different."
However I suspect that, deep down, many of us would like to reply:
"That's the courteous thing to say, but really and truly, you're missing
the whole point of music....."

Cheers,
Bill

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