Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2016-07-20 23:47
You asked an excellent question. Thinking back to my high school English classes, I sometimes joke that teachers have a way of sucking all the joy out of a book. Novel or short story reading sometimes becomes nothing more than a search for themes, climax, symbolism, etc.
I agree with Philip that there can be--and should be--a dual track appreciation.
Your question reminded of an interesting fact about George Gershwin. Early in his short composing career, when he wrote Rhapsody in Blue, he wasn't what most would call a disciplined composer. Being somewhat self-taught, he was often guided more by instinct than by established rules of musical composition. Many music critics and most of the established conservatory-trained composers of the time were aghast. In their view, nobody in his or her right mind could possibly take Gershwin seriously as a composer of symphonic music!
Gershwin didn't say much, but the criticism hurt. He later devoted a great deal of time learning the "right" way to do things, studying with Joseph Schillinger from 1932 to 1936. The results were mixed. He composed Porgy and Bess during this period, one of his best works. At the same time, his more "correct" Second Rhapsody and Variations on "I Got Rhythm" never became popular.
I suppose we could say Gershwin got the last laugh. His music is performed all the time, while much of the "correct" music of academic composers sits on shelves, seldom performed outside of university settings.
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