[Fmpro] a new world odor

[Fernando Rivas]

Actually I'd heard of Rzewski and he is a good example of a
multi-directional composer working in many of the late 20th century -isms.
There are many such figures, as you note, operating in a nebulous gray zone.
Which begs the question of what is popular, or what the relevancy of the
term is.  

If one measures popularity by fame then it may potentially be gauged by how
many people attend one's funeral.  In that regard Beethoven scored well but
Mozart poorly.  Bach wasn't well known, or 'popular' when he lived, and for
a time he lapsed into obscurity. He was known only in elite musical circles
until the nineteenth century when he was resurrected.

Anna Nicole Smith or a much earlier example, Marilyn Monroe, on the other
hand, were far more popular than any of these legendary composers.

You're right when you say that in our times pop music rules, but that is
because mass culture rules. And mass culture is the result of poor, watered
down or non-existent education mixed with liberal shares of both capitalist
greed and technological advance. I also agree that music is being
reinvented, along with all the other arts.  But I think it is unlikely that
one direction or style will emerge from the current mish mosh.  Whatever
directions emerge as this century unfolds will probably have much to do with
global communication and technology (as well as ignorance and urban
violence). It will be a world desperately seeking balance and sustainability
in the face of crisis and madness.

FR
On 1/28/08 2:57 PM, "Ted Peterson" <ted.peterson at tcsn.net> wrote:

> On Jan 28, 2008, at 7:49 AM, Fernando Rivas wrote:
>> 
>> I don't know that you can generalize in this way. Just because we
>> exist in a
>> permissive milieu doesn't necessarily mean we are all cultural
>> morons.  What
>> is the alternative to this world view? A totalitarian world where
>> everyone
>> is told what is 'cultural' and what isn't and how to properly live
>> up to it
> 
> Fernando:
> 
> I don't think we can evaluate whether we are putting a stamp on
> anything while we are  doing it. We may think we're charting new
> waters and opening new minds but we'll just never know. At some point
> in a composer's life, a decision must be made as to whether or not
> his or her contribution will last beyond the immediate. As Boulez
> aged, he was very concerned with how he would be viewed historically.
> Stockhausen never had that problem probably because of his success in
> Germany. But eventually even he faded for newer artists.
> 
> Music, culturally, may be going through an evolution and reinvention.
> Maybe Cage's "4 minutes 33 seconds" was the period at the end of the
> artistic evolution of the music that started with Greek modes and led
> to silence. In other words, for that system, everything has been
> examined in an experimental way and the only thing left to do was
> nothing.
> 
> Popular music was rising up and is the main music of the masses. No
> longer to people look to opera composers for catchy tunes but to folk
> groups. And make no mistake about it, all of pop and rock is folk music.
> 
> Musical evolution is a funny thing. Once equal temperment hit one
> would have to believe that children would be batting away at the
> piano just as they do now. Composer's surely heard this and yet we
> don't see the development of atonality until the expansion of the
> tonal system had breached the bounds of in a key to on a key. Where
> voice leading and the rules of the common practice period break down.
> 
> So we have to start thinking of styles. Not personal styles but
> period styles that hold sway for a period than become passe for
> something new. In the past it was Stravinski and Schoenberg. (Who
> were friends until the "Moderninski remark from Schoenberg." They
> both lived in Bel Air on adjacent streets. The corner of Stravinski's
> lot met the corner of Schoenberg's. Schoenberg had a tennis court and
> played tennis every day.  It is interesting that Stravinski moved to
> serial composition towards the latter part of his life whereas
> Schoenberg remained stoic in his position). However, historically
> Schoenberg has less of a chance of being remembered for more than
> just a couple of works and the founding of the Vienesse School.
> Stravinski is assured just with his first three operas.
> 
> The LA Phil used to put on concerts trying to ling Stravinski's use
> of tonality with the "New Tonalists" like John Adams but that's a
> real stretch.
> 
> I would equate Sondheim or Williams with Salieri; both are decent
> composers who write for "the people." If one were looking for the
> Bach''s of our day, one would not look to film music but to people
> working locally with a huge output. They may have little local
> following but a huge following in other countries.
> 
> You have probably never heard of Fred Rzewski. Do a search and take a
> listen. We still have composers working and producing but they don't
> have popular following.
> 
> Ted Peterson
> 
> 
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