Classical music: Why bother?

As a slight breather from some of the more planet-threatening threads, here is a good read: a composer and Harvard professor (Joshua Fineberg) wonders whether his craft has been left behind by a world with no patience for Great Art.

http://www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/2002/10/02/classical/index.html

Cheers,
Jon

--- In metatuning@y..., "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:
> As a slight breather from some of the more planet-threatening threads, here is a good read: a composer and Harvard professor (Joshua Fineberg) wonders whether his craft has been left behind by a world with no patience for Great Art.

Maybe we'll just turn the job over to computer programs like Cope's.

--- In metatuning@y..., "Gene Ward Smith" <genewardsmith@j...> wrote:
> Maybe we'll just turn the job over to computer programs like Cope's.

Following his premise, that would simply be wasting CPU cycles instead of human effort. It doesn't get to the core, which is that (increasingly) no one cares.

Cheers,
Jon

--- In metatuning@y..., "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:

/metatuning/topicId_3225.html#3229

> --- In metatuning@y..., "Gene Ward Smith" <genewardsmith@j...>
wrote:
> > Maybe we'll just turn the job over to computer programs like
Cope's.
>
> Following his premise, that would simply be wasting CPU cycles
instead of human effort. It doesn't get to the core, which is that
(increasingly) no one cares.
>
> Cheers,
> Jon

***Personally, I believe the author is too taken up with "greatness"
possibly presuming that he, himself, is a potential candidate for
that league. Who cares, is right.

I mean, composers write music because they *enjoy* writing it. At
least that's why *I* do it. I'm not thinking of any posterity
(although I am happy it is true that many of my works are in the New
York Public Library...)

If people like the music, they will play it and there will still be
listeners for it. Sure, the contemporary music scene never will have
the *hoards* of pop music listeners. So what? There is still an
active "new music" scene in New York and elsewhere, with sometimes
several concerts on the same night. People go to these concerts and
enjoy them. Sure, the content has changed, and people are more
willing to accept pop-influenced works. I think that is good, since
it's a dynamic more reflective of our own time.

The lament is preliminary. I'll bet people will continue to attend
and enjoy contemporary music concerts *at least* the rest of my own
lifetime, particularly since the work are, presently, a bit easier
for the audience to "get a handle on..."

J. Pehrson

--- In metatuning@y..., "Joseph Pehrson" <jpehrson@r...> wrote:

/metatuning/topicId_3225.html#3230

Oh... I also wanted to thank Jon for finding and posting this
article, which I found of interest.

Joe Pehrson

--- In metatuning@y..., "Jon Szanto" <JSZANTO@A...> wrote:
> As a slight breather from some of the more planet-threatening
threads, here is a good read: a composer and Harvard professor
(Joshua Fineberg) wonders whether his craft has been left behind by a
world with no patience for Great Art.
>
>
http://www.salon.com/ent/music/feature/2002/10/02/classical/index.html
>
> Cheers,
> Jon

i liked this quote:

"Now, talking about art is almost as hard as talking about music
(which is essentially impossible)."

and many others about "hard work" and the like. but i didn't find the
argument as a whole very convincing. it was very "harvard". ;)

what i'm actually wondering right now is why 99% of the drummers i've
ever played with fall into the bottom 1% when it comes to reliability
or even common decency? (i'm sure classical percussionists do not
suffer from this syndrome, whatever it is).

Paul,
> what i'm actually wondering right now is why 99% of the drummers
> i've ever played with fall into the bottom 1% when it comes to
> reliability or even common decency? (i'm sure classical
> percussionists do not suffer from this syndrome, whatever it is).

Don't be so sure! :)

I know that non-classical "drummers" have had a bad rap for decades, and a lot of time I imagine it is well earned. Don't forget, *I'm* the one that posits rhythm as being the simplest of music's tasks, so it makes sense for the low-gene-pool type to gravitate towards the skins.

Then again, perspective has a lot to do with it. Probably lots of drummers lament the lack of good, solid, team-oriented (and ensemble oriented) guitarists, rather than the run-of-the-mill rock-star wannabees who turn up to 11, go scam some babes while everyone else is packing up the equipment, and drink more than the rest of the band combined.

But, yeah, drummers are a sorry lot quite often. Maybe you've just bumped into the wrong ones, or too small a sampling. I could name 10 here in San Diego that are killer players, take care of biz, are fun to hang with, and family men to boot. Not a slacker in the bunch.

Cheers,
Jon