#11
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Ik like this thread.
Also more easily accessible, but fantastic classical compositions are most works from Arvo Pärt. Górecki's 3rd symphony has a part that will move even the most rabid hater of classical. Bach's 'Air' is another classic. Pachelbel's 'Canon/Gigue': it's played on a lot of marriages. Eric Satie's Gymnopédies. And there is so much more...
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#12
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Colleagues;
I have now had the opportunity to do some reading (Norman Le brecht ) and I believe that Mr. Lebrecht has it wrong. the misguided management of the record companies and the overwhelming hubris of some of the artists and conductors that make up the bulk of Le brechts book cannot make up for the fact that most americans and denizens of other western countries are woefully under exposed to classical music. I was listening to a talk radio station the other day and the host identified some of the bumper music ( a Gabrieli canzona ) as Brahams. Well he was off by a mere 300 years. Rather than get on his case, after all he said that he really didn't know, I'll get on the case of the public school system for not exposing the students to music through an appreciation class. He may not have known who Brahms was but I'll bet he could identify John Williams. Which leads me to this; some years ago I was playing in a local orchestra to usually half to three quarter house capacity. On one of our concerts we played a suite of music from Star Wars. We packed the house to overflowing. Most of our audience that night was under 40 not the usual 55+ we usually had. There is a lesson here I think. People are exposed to symphonic music these days in movie theaters and not government run schools. I think that smart music directors might consider programming "Lord of the Rings" along with Mozart. It might be an audience builder. |
#13
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Quote:
You and Tony do have a point about the lack of exposure through the educational system. From a post I wrote elsewhere in response to the following quote: Quote:
Schools at the elementary and middle level offer fewer and fewer opportunites for starting with an instrument - if they haven't cut programs entirely. Nowadays US schools sadly have a different agenda for their money This was/is a source of exposure to classical music that has dwindled. High Schools and University still have band and orchestra, but not so much introduction. Many state universities continue to offer Musicology graduate studies as well as some schools in the UK and Canada. Musicology doesn't intersect much with audiophilery, but there seem to be folks who play music or know someone who plays music who have a home stereo. Also, classical is very expensive at the orchestral level, both to maintain an orchestra and facilities as well as attend. It takes a great conductor or performer to really generate interest - look what Bernstein did for Mahler. I'll add - a fair amount of early to mid-20th C compositions failed to embrace resolution the way Classical and Romantic does. Atonality has limited appeal in a mass market. (Our parent's generation?) Dare I say we who seek resolution out of dissonance are Men of the West. (Sounds like Tolkien.) - a dying breed. For example, Bartók’s modernist approach emphasizes motoric irregular rhythms, counterpoint, accents and stresses with lots of dynamic contrast. These operate inside dissonant nucleic themes that offer little sense of journey, destination or narrative. (Trentemöller? ...maybe some) The meaning of many of his works always seems just around the corner, just out of reach. A final 'breathing out', an exhale never happens. |
#14
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After reviewing LeBrecht I still think that he is incorrect. Mr LeBrecht seems more concerned with misbehavior, monumental egos and incompetence, interesting from a gossip point of view, but it doesn't get people into the concert hall.
People need to have music performed that they want to hear. Most people don't care that the conductor wants to run off to Mexico with the concert master . My experience with Star Wars tells me that careful pairing of symphonic film music and regular concert works can get people in to the concert venue. Consider; a performance that featured Elmer Bernstein's music from the Magnificent 7 with Sibelius 5th, My concern is getting people interested in orchestral music the younger the better, Happy Thanksgiving to all. I'm very glad to be living in this country. My ancestry is something that could only happen here; on my fathers side northern European, and Michigan Chippewa, My mom was from a nice German Jewish family who managed to get the hell out before it was too late. We Americans are not perfect but most of us are working on it. Last edited by Petronius; 11-23-2021 at 03:24 PM. |
#15
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And, if the attendees listen carefully, they might begin to grasp that at least some of the structural framework and musical devices Bernstein used to portray the actions of and responses to Chris, Vin, and the rest of the motley bunch can be found, albeit in a different context, in the Sibelius Fifth. (Hell, even the British band First Class ripped off a theme from that same symphony in their "Beach Baby.")
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