Saturday, July 19, 2008

Hear, hear ...

... Hating the New. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

I am almost entirely in agreement with this (the only exception is that I think Stravinsky was a great composer only sometimes - The Symphony of Psalms is especially great). But right now I am listening to Martinu's fourth symphony. Surely Joe Queenan could not object to that. It is lovely to listen to and deeply affecting. I think the problem is that good modern composers tend to be ignored in favor of the "edgy" ones who tinker with notes because they couldn't write a tune of their lives depended on it - this means you, Elliott Carter (and if you don't believe me, listen to his earlier, utterly banal tonal music).

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