From the Front: One Writer's Views on "Classical" Labeling

The article "Just Don't Call it Classical" by Micahel Zwiebach appeared on ArtsJournal's recently featured music articles. In the article, Zwiebach focuses on the phenomenon of classically trained musicians who avoid the "classical" label, instead focusing on experimenting with genres and styles. Though performing or composing works that push genre boundaries and take influence from non-classical sources, these musicians are still inevitably informed by their classical training. An example of a venue for such non-classically-labeled music is the SONiC Festival we discussed last week. Most of the composers and performers featured were classically trained, but the festival's music was not marketed as new "classical" music. Instead, the festival's musical offerings were frequently of the genre-crossing kind.

Zwiebach asks two questions about the trend:

So, what comes out of this attempt to relabel or retire the word classical from the music made by classically trained and influenced contemporary musicians? Is it merely an attempt to avoid association with a term that seems to turn off large segments of potential audience?

Zwiebach does not believe the answer to the latter questions is a "yes." In fact, he thinks the avoidance of classical labeling may be a good thing for contemporary classical music.

Zwiebach attempts to define what makes music "classical" by pointing out a unifying compositional thread found throughout the classical music canon. In Zwiebach's view, the primary factor that determined the classical canon was the study of counterpoint on the part of classical composers. Those that were most adept at utilizing their counterpoint training were able to create numerous works in short periods of time with beautiful, well-structured melodies and voice leading. Those composers are the ones considered masters in the classical canon. In Zwiebach's view, their rigorous training in counterpoint united them all into one tradition. "Another result of that training," according to Zwiebach, "was an identifiable European tradition, which has certain continuities through the changes of style. Despite the differences, Bach’s keyboard concertos and Schumann’s Piano Concerto are recognizably from the same tradition. Edgard Varese’s Ameriques, not so much." Therefore, even contemporary composers of what is unarguably "art music" may not entirely fit the classical label.

Today, classically-trained composers are not presented with counterpoint studies as the primary compositional training tool. Instead, they are presented with various contemporary styles in addition to traditional counterpoint. Also, their music will most likely be influenced by the West's greater awareness of non-Western musical traditions, as well as the influence of popular music (Zwiebach mentions Louis Armstrong and The Beatles).

In conclusion, Zwiebach's view is that contemporary musicians and composers who are experimenting with crossing genre boundaries are not doing a disservice to the classical tradition, but are instead displaying their respect for it. Through combining styles and avoiding the classical label, Zwiebach claims that "they are naturally exploring the ways in which [classical] music has meaning to contemporary society and to what they do. In the process, as artists always do, they are leading us to a better understanding of what classical music meant in history and why it is still valuable."

Zwiebach's perspective on the current classical music landscape is perhaps somewhat simplified, but valuable to consider. With the multiplicity of styles available to up-and-coming classically trained composers and performers today, is the avoidance of a strictly "classical" label merely a concession to the way things are, an actual benefit to the promotion of the classical tradition and new music, or a combination of both? Zwiebach seems to think the answer may be "both." In his words, today's musicians "obviously want an open-ended term that will allow for the limitless combinations and collaborations that are now the norm."

"Ripping up Concertos at the Harvard T stop"

Music was integrated into the church, moved into the concert halls, opera houses, private rooms, and eventually onto a digital device. What has managed to stay prevalent throughout history is the art of street performance – an art form that has grown to become a meaningful and powerful form of expression.

While many musical experiences been modified, street performance has maintained its methodology (the musician finds a pitch, and sets aside an object for gratuities). The context is also unique compared to other performance practices. The musician often performs in public, usually providing a welcoming atmosphere for pedestrians and/or tourist – these are general observations.

“In a stunt organized by The Washington Post, the classical violinist Joshua Bell played as an incognito street busker at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station in Washington D.C. on 12 January 2007. Of the 1,097 people who passed by, only one recognized him and only a couple more were drawn to his music. For his nearly 45 minute performance, Bell collected $32.17 (not counting $20 from the passerby who recognized him). He did this using a Stradivarius violin valued at around $2,000,000.” (Wikipedia, Street Performance)

It is an interesting state of affairs for street musicians. Not only do they exercise musicianship, but within their context, the embedded passion, authenticity, and humility are some of the underlying principles that provide the foundations of a street musician; a unique performance. The Joshua Bell experiment proved that you can be regarded as one of the greatest musicians in the world, but when placed back into a society where everyone is a critic; degradation ensues.

The fourth wall of the concert hall does not exist, which enables a more intimate performance within its social context. A personal contribution is also made as money is given directly to the performer and not to a box office.

To stumble upon a street performance is to experience something unique (i.e. an instrument or type of music you never heard before). The composer, Lisa Bielawa, utilizes this concept in her piece "Chance Encounter".

"A single musician sits down and begins to play the opening... Several minutes later, another musician shows up at the site... pulls up in a taxi or comes out of the subway or bus, comes out of a nearby deli or store. This person begins playing, across the street or plaza from the cellist. Some people on the street can only hear one player. Walk across the site, or across the street – the piece changes." (Bielawa, Lisa)

The street musician is easy to define as, simply, a street musician. What is often overlooked is the audacity, desperation, passion and human quality that we absorb passively as we walk by the man playing the Stradervari.

Talk of the Nation: NPR: http://tinyurl.com/6zjaxec

Wall Street Journal (Ten rules for Street Musicians): http://tinyurl.com/4dufx2x

The Washington Post (Joshua Bell): http://tinyurl.com/3x9s2a

Chance Encounter (excerpt) by Lisa Bielawa: http://tinyurl.com/3v4d4ae

Play For Change website: http://playingforchange.com/

Wikipedia (Street Performer): http://tinyurl.com/6agv2ug

Thank You for reading,
Kwaumane Brown

Longy School of Music
UD in Composition ('12)

Love and music

While perusing yahoo.com yesterday, I came across a proposal video. Yes, they are everywhere, but I still watch them because they make me happy. When my husband proposed to me, it involved an intricate collaboration of a total of 13 people! The proposer is Josh. His soon to be fiancee is Katrina. Josh had decided to propose by singing a song he wrote for Katrina. The place: the middle of a karaoke contest at the L.A. County Fair. After slinking off with a "I have to use the bathroom" excuse, Josh appeared on the stage, taking Katrina completely by surprise, and sang his proposal to her. Their family and friends appeared on the stage about half-way through the song with "Say Yes" T-shirts on. Audience members soon started holding up "Josh and Katrina" signs as Katrina cried in disbelief.


Now Josh may not be the most talented musician, but he put himself out there in order to give the woman of his dreams the "ultimate proposal." Right after my husband proposed, we climbed a hill and discovered a choir of our friends who proceeded to sing an arrangement of Ben Fold's "The Luckiest" as well as a setting of Shakespeare's Hamlet (an exerpt from his letter to Ophelia) that my husband had written specifically for the occasion. Having a piece of music written specifically for you, especially if it is by someone who loves you. I stared in disbelief that he would spend so much time and energy to create that special piece for me.
One of the reasons I love music is its ability to help us express our emotions with or without text. When I am singing, I can communicate in ways that I am unable to with words alone. These proposals had an extra "umph" because of the music incorporated into them.

Report from the Front: 21st Century Composition

This week, I read an article in The New York Times titled “The Century’s Sounds, So Far,” Anthony Tommasini’s review of the opening of the festival “SONiC: Sounds of a New Century.” As the title suggests, it is a festival entirely made up of 21^st century music. In addition, all 100 featured composers are under 40 years old.

Here is the link: http://nyti.ms/pv4b9O

Near the beginning of the article, Tommasini confirms what we have often put forward in class: the future of classical music appears to include a wider set of musical references and styles that disregard “high” and “low” classifications.

From just the opening concert I am not ready to venture an overall impression about the state of music in the 21st century. Still, one theme did emerge. Young composers today, born after the stylistic battles that stultified creativity during the 1960s and 1970s, exude independence and feel entitled to draw from, borrow, use (or abuse) any style of contemporary music that interests them.

I commented two weeks ago on how this celebration of fusion is not bad in itself, but may willfully ignore classical music that does not choose to integrate other genres. Tommasini likewise appears to reserve judgment on the trend he notices: contemporary styles may be “used” just as easily as they are “abused.” We can also find these concerns in Nicholas Cook’s conclusion, not with regard to composition, but to musical culture in general. “If we find the music of other times and places too easy to hear, too well adapted to our own modes of understanding and pleasure, then we are all too likely to assimilate it to our own values… [Music] cannot abolish cultural difference at a stroke.” (1998: 127) As fusion is more and more embraced as a practice, we see more critics cautioning against abuse of these techniques. However, these are points I have already touched on to some extent.

What I thought was particularly interesting in Tommasini’s article was his suggestion that these new works definitively mark the end of the “stylistic battles” between composers. We have not only achieved a pluralism of styles within the works themselves (where twelve-tone rows can exist alongside tonal chords and driving rhythm, as in Christopher Stark’s work), but also a pluralism of styles between works (where two different styles of classical composition are considered equally good).

Tommasini clearly thinks it is good that the composer battles have been left to the past. This seems to be a reasonable claim. However, looking ahead in the reading, it appears that Ivan Hewett would not agree. He claims that some pieces, such as John Cage’s Variations III, have such a strong compositional worldview that they obliterate any other piece on the program (2003: 137). He suggests that pluralism may be a bit precious and polite; angry gangs of composers make for more interesting musical debates (2003: 118). Art and democracy are both born from heated debate. This has some truth, but I can’t help feeling, like Tommasini, that the bitter rivalries of 20^th century composition limited art more than it expanded musical possibilities.

Film Scoring, another outlet for “classical” Music

I checked my Twitter as I rode into Boston today. There was an ad linked from Craig’s List asking for a film composer for a low budget horror film.

I heard in my head the sound of a horror movie with its dissonant string glissandi and stop-muted horn hits. The suspense created by the dark colors and sharp contrasts in dynamics are characteristics that make horror movies my favorite.

In 2008, I attended a film scoring master class near Smith College in North Hampton,MA. The clinician was Alexandar Janko, a local composer from Vermont who composed the score to the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I was new to the concept of composing for film and was fascinated by the different roles composers assign to their scores in film.

The concept of underscoring a scene and the various nuances that help evoke specific emotions was thought provoking. It made me wonder about my experiences watching movies. Just try listening to your favorite movie again with the sound turned off.

Music has a powerful place in the cinema experience. Movies insure the existence of the orchestra well into the 21st century and beyond.

SONiC Festival

The SONiC Festival is a new music festival currently happening in New York City. It began on October 14 and its last performance will be on October 22. Two reviews in The New York Times of concert from the Sonic Festival directed me to research the festival itself. The Sonic Festival's distinguishing factor is that all of the music performed is written by composers who are now 40 years old or younger. The festival's co-curators, composer Derek Bermel and pianist Stephen Gosling, claim that their intention is to increase awareness of new music, especially that written in the 21st century. Bermel remarks that the festival is designed "to present a snapshot of the younger generation of music-makers, to showcase the richness, vitality, and diversity of the music being created right now – under our very noses here in New York and throughout the world" and also "to show everyone that ‘the composer’ is alive and thriving" (sonicfestival.org).

For the most part, the composers and performers in the festival are classically-trained. Some of the works involve genre-crossing elements, electronic effects, or inclusions of non-musical material (such as Mayke Nas's "DiGit #2" which includes choreography for the performers, described in this article), but all are written and performed from a classical orientation. Many of the chamber ensembles performing in the festival formed as students at leading conservatories. Interestingly, one of the performers is the MacArthur Fellow Francisco Núñez's Young People's Chorus of New York City. The SONiC Festival's website contains detailed information on all the featured artists and composers, as well as some audio clips from performances.

Links to the two New York Times SONiC Festival concert reviews:
"A Chemistry of Fresh Enthusiasms" by Steve Smith, October 17 2011

"This Century's Sounds, So Far" by Anthony Tommasini, October 16 2011

Why Not?

I admire musicians, especially fearless musicians: those who play with passion; are not afraid to play contemporary music; make mistakes; and those who are willing to provide a free musical experience in the streets of Brooklyn. This is what Alan Pierson has done with the Brooklyn Philharmonic.

I'm not from New York, and have never been to Brooklyn. But, from Zacherys review, I was able to detect the importance of this situation. The area in which this concert was held was obviously an urban neighborhood, where the culture is well diverse and the thunderous sounds of the T is a constant reminder that life is about moving from one destination to the next.

Playing there was a fine step. It has also been apparent that classical music has been hard to bring into some peoples lives -- and on Saturday, this orchestra decided to take the initiative and bring the music to those who are rarely exposed to a live orchestra performance. It gave those an opportunity to stop moving, listen, think, and experience something, ironically, new.

It's a step in the right direction – following ensembles like the Discovery Ensemble who champion performance in urban communities and educating children about the importance of contemporary music, performance, instrumental practice and music in general.

"...classical music is not for the elites." Antonio Berdugo (M.M. '12)

I presented this story to my friend, and that quote above was his response. He showed great enthusiasm because he was aware of the orchestras significant achievement. There is no doubt that many orchestras have been leaving the concert halls (i.e. boston pops playing at the Esplanade). Either playing in colleges, suburban neighborhoods, or a park – It has become living proof that the traditional way of listening to classical music has broken down throughout the years, especially with the advancement of technology, which is a completely different topic.

New Yorks Times Article: http://goo.gl/Uo511

Discovery Ensemble Website: http://goo.gl/eEHvU

Thank You for reading,

Kwaumane Brown

Longy School of Music

UD in Composition ('12)

Primary Sourcing

Nicholas Cook writes about the "Beethovenian model of the authoritative edition" (Cook p.89) as it developed as an ideal for score-writers and performers alike. Composers began finding their pieces more complicated than the score would allow and took it upon themselves to elaborate on the engraving conventions at the time. Musicians, likewise were met with rising standards in maintaining the integrity of the score and conveying the specifics of the music to the audience.

It is an unfortunate reality that our records of music aren't always perfect; multiple editions of pieces are actually quite common and are generally well received, especially in the notorious cases of Stravinsky and Liszt. The transcendental romantic ideal prompted the desire for the 'best' transcription, one they would feel comfortable leaving in the hands of history. Little did they realize the many versions of their pieces would actually end up preserved, and in some cases performed as pieces in their own right.

This practice of publishing revised editions comes as a response to a once-basic truth: notation is the only way to preserve and communicate music. Living in the age of recording technology, this is no longer the case. Notation software, forums and blogs, youtube and other social media websites are changing the way humans pass on their music. It is now very easy and affordable to arrange music and distribute sheet music, necessary for live performance.

It is interesting to listen to recordings of composers playing their own pieces. Hear Rachmaninoff playing: Rachmaninoff piano concerto no. 2.

While the recording quality is not pristine, you can still hear details in the piano playing. While enjoyable to listen to, I would not go so far as to suggest it is the definitive recording of the piece. Rather, it is one of many versions which come from informed study in the classical tradition of interpreting works. Likewise, it calls attention to the context in which a piece is composed--be it by the composer for their own performance, like Liszt or Bach, or for other people (Tchaikovsky's piano concerto for someone else, as he could not play the piano virtuosically). As Rachmaninoff plays expressively, we are allowed a glimpse into his compositional process as he phrases the melodies just as he intended (ignoring the massive amount of sound data lost in early recording).

Indeed, the high quality recording technology of today allows us to generate accurate representations and reproductions of musical ideas. Tools like the internet and social media allow communication of these ideas on a grand scale reliably and affordably. This phenomena will alter the development of all types of music and how it is received by audiences.

Salty Dog - Nico Muhly

In closing, consider modern composers such as Nico Muhly. While composing for and participating in live music productions, he publishes scores for performable works. On the other hand, he is also credited as a recording artist and for creating hard copies of his conceptions. Right away, we are given the "authoritative edition" musicologists have been searching for. This primary sourcing will serve to help future generations study the music being composed today.

Music from the Front: Inspiration

This past week has been a hard one for me. I had several assignments to complete, school performances to prepare for, and family drama to top it off. While in the process of working on an assignment, I opened Firefox and stumbled upon an article entitled: Man Plays Guitar with Feet. Needless to say, I was quite intrigued, so I clicked the link. The man is Tony Melendez of Branson, Missouri. Born in Nicaragua without arms and with a club foot, Melendez came to the US at a young age to be fitted for prosthetic limbs. But instead of helping him, he felt the prosthetic arms got in his way and that he was better off using his feet. Music was a favorite past time of his. He became proficient in playing guitar and writing his own songs.

The video linked to the article, from the Huffington Post, showed Melendez and his band, The Toe Jam Band, performing for a high school in Florida. Though this specific video did not actually play their music, it caught my attention and I looked Melendez and the Toe Jam Band up online. This is the first video I came across:

http://tinyurl.com/3k979u9

Melendez performed for Pope John Paul II, and considers the performance his most memorable. I was touched by Melendez's happy spirit and determination. Though he was born with what many would consider a disability, he has not let it get in his way, instead choosing to challenge it, using it to his advantage.

Tony Melendez got me thinking about what music is, what it does, and how it defines us. For Melendez, music is a passion that kept him going. Though I do not face the same physical obstacles that he does, music has been my escape, a way to communicate when I don't know what to say. My connection to God and people. Truly inspired and fired up, I urge all musicians to return to why they love music and what it means to them. Everyone has down days, but it is what we choose to do with those days that defines who we truly are.

Link to the original Huffington Post Article: http://tinyurl.com/62szgnq

And to Tony Melendez's website: http://www.tonymelendez.com

I strongly recommend you check out Melendez and his band, particularly if you need inspiration.

In The Cat Ranch...

If you are familiar with Marc Maron, then you are perhaps aware of his struggles as a comic, jew, romantic, and socializer. He is a comedian (a comics comic). His comedy is raw, personal and edgy, which led him to become a leading figure in the alternative scene in New York during the 90's. 15 years ago, you would not have known who Marc was – but now, he has successfully established a personality in the digital world from his Podcast “WTF with Marc Maron”.

Marc spent most of his life trying to find his “clown” – a catch phrase, look, persona – a sellable product. While unable to reach company standards and “make it” in the“industry”, he watched his friends become successful and fill rooms across the country and abroad. After jumping from job to job/show to show, he finally turned to Air America Media where he became the co-host of the radio shows Morning Sedition and Breakroom Live, which led to his inevitable breaking point once the shows were cancelled.

Thus, the creation of “WTF”

Having worked at the now bankrupt network; he still – somehow – had access to the company's recording studio and, weekly, snuck into the building to record his show and interview comedians with an agenda to address the philosophical question of the day [What the F^(#...?].

Knowing that he couldn't risk getting caught, and for the building would eventually close permanently – Marc moved back to his home in California: bought mics; a computer; adopted a few stray cats, and built a“studio” in his Garage. It, till this very day, is known as the cat ranch – the place where comics, actors, authors, and stars chat with Marc, setting aside the glamor of stardom and getting to the core of human relationships, drug addictions, parent problems, and becoming an adult.

Marc has successfully found an outlet in which he his not censored. Podcasting is a medium that allows you to start from scratch: create your own title; theme song; format/structure and more. He has found success that isn't lavish, a product of men in suits, or mainstream. And, with it's cult following, Marc has maintained integrity and proven that the thin line between success and happiness, in fact, do exist. While some mainstream provoke false expectations for children, teens, minorities and so forth; Marc has proven that there is humility to be sought after, and that finding your “clown” is secondary to what can truly be honest, righteous and raw... you.

“When you actually meet the devil and he offers you a deal most artist eventually negotiate.” - Marc Maron

Entertainment Weekly: http://goo.gl/7ZJem

New York Times Article: http://goo.gl/m7KA4

Marc Marons Website: http://www.wtfpod.com/

Theme For WTF: http://goo.gl/BTF6M

Thank You for reading,

Kwaumane Brown

Longy School of Music

UD in Composition ('12)

Technology and Performance: The New Trend?

This Washington Post article by Anne Midgette is about music museums, but not necessarily in the sense of museums merely of music history or instrument collections. Instead, the article focuses on cutting-edge, innovative museum exhibits that present an interactive experience of music in more abstract terms. Exhibits combining sight and sound allow museum visitors to attain a new perspective about music and participation with music, and have appeared in such places as Vienna's Haus der Musik, and Seattle's Experience Music Project. Tod Machover, a composer and software creator at MIT, has helped designed many such exhibits around the world, and thinks that orchestras may be the next museums of music because most of them already have a permanent space that could be modified to create similar interactive experiences.

Machover's prediction is already partially coming true. Like technologically-innovative music museum exhibits, newly-built concert halls are beginning to feature multimedia capabilities. A prime example mentioned in the article is the New World Symphony's concert hall, which was designed with multiple screens for the simultaneous presentation of the symphony's performance and accompanying video. Performers are also becoming involved with the concept of a multimedia performance. Several examples of performers who incorporate a multimedia experience into their concerts are mentioned in the article about violinist Tim Fain's new project which we discussed in class a few weeks ago (read that particular article here). It seems that a multimedia presentation of classical music is an emerging trend, perhaps with a goal similar to that which Tod Machover has for his museum exhibits: "to [help people] think about music in different ways."

Anne Midgette, "Music museums of the 21st century: High-tech, cutting edge, interactive," The Washington Post, October 2, 2011, accessed October 10, 2011,
http://tinyurl.com/6zcqr4a

The How-To Special Effects for Brass Instruments

While cleaning today I found my silent brass pick up mute. Usually the silent brass series of mutes are utilized as practice tools so one can practice almost anywhere at almost anytime of day and not disturb those in the next room.
There is another use for the silent brass. The pick up mute can capture the sound from the bell and convert it into electrical signal. That signal can be tweaked, modified, and reproduced through an amplifier. Earlier on this blog I referred to an experiment I was going to conduct using special effects, extended techniques, and the trombone. This tool is the missing link between the acoustic trombone and the electric trombone.
Now that I finally have access to my pick-up mute, I can test out various sound wave modulators to achieve my goal of expanding on the trombone’s modern repertoire.
I found a video of someone doing something similar to what I hope to accomplish on youtube. Check it out.

Cool implementations of electronic effects on the trombone.

Problems of Authenticity, Performance Practice, and my own work on Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations

At various points in Music: A Very Short Introduction, Nicholas Cook emphasizes the importance of the performers and listeners in musical experience as a way of questioning the usual dominance of composers in the creation of aesthetic capital. His discussion of historical performance practice suggests that a view of music that values performers might be on the rise. “In demythologizing the scholarly practice of (so-called) historical performance, Taruskin has placed performance style at the centre of music history; never again, perhaps, will it be possible to publish a ‘history of twentieth-century music’ that considers only twentieth-century composition, ignoring twentieth-century practice.” (1998: 98)

However, some backtracking is necessary to explain the “demythologizing” that Taruskin has repudiated. While historical performance has in some sense broken with how we traditionally view performers, Cook points out that many historic performers are timid about admitting their own role in music. Instead of declaring their interpretive activities outright, performance practice movements use scholarly language as a veil of legitimacy, relying on period texts, treatises, and various versions of the score to formulate their vision of the music. Even when historic recordings are available, Cook notes, performers add their own gloss, choosing to avoid simply mimicking the recording. At the heart of historical performance practice, then, is not so much scholarship but “the interpretive freedom, the creativity, which performers and audiences both value.” (1998:98)

This is all well and good from an academic standpoint. As performers, though, what do we do with this information? What is the role of doing research, if our performance is also to be our own? Reacting with cynicism against historical performance practice would not be productive; Taruskin’s point (and Cook’s) was not to delegitimate the research that historical performers do. How can we re-evaluate in a constructive manner? I was reminded of my own cello studies, as I am currently working on Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations. This piece has been the subject of some historical debate, since multiple versions exist, with great difference between them. The historical performance movement took hold of this piece during the 20th century, pointing out that the most commonly played version had in fact been completely restructured by the first performer of the piece, Wilhelm Fitzenhagen. Looking at Tchaikovsky’s manuscript compared to the published version, we can see that Fitzenhagen re-arranged the order of the variations, also cutting one out. Those inclined to follow historical performance methods would probably cite the “authenticity” of the Tchaikovsky autograph. Of course, this reinforces the hierarchy of composer over performer. In fact, there were several stages to the editing process, some of which Tchaikovsky approved more readily than others (he appears to have changed his mind at least once about the structural re-organization).

When deciding which version of the Rococo Variations to play, I made sure to do my research on these versions. I chose to play the “original” version based on the manuscript, but not because I felt convinced that this version was better or more authoritative (as I think the last paragraph made clear, my research was fairly inconclusive). Instead, I thought it was an unusual and interesting experience to hear a familiar piece played differently, and I enjoyed the “missing” eighth variation. Ultimately my decision was based on what I thought would be interesting to perform and to listen to. Is this the new ideal that Cook and Taruskin would be aiming for? Somehow, my interpretive decisions seem too arbitrary to merit such a grand label. No matter what, we are stuck with several problematic definitions of “authenticity.” Is my individual interpretation “authentic” because I am being true to myself? Is hewing to the autograph score “authentic” because it represents Tchaikovsky’s work without any influence of Fitzenhagen? Both definitions are unsatisfactory, but as practical performers, throwing away authenticity as a concept does not leave us with much to work with.

Attending concerts is one of my favorite pastimes. I am fond of all music: world music, new or "unusual" music, as well as the "classics." Last Sunday, Longy offered a concert of Chinese music with traditional instruments. I am glad I went, particularly because I now can recognize the instruments that make the sounds. There is a man who often sits at Park Street station playing the Erhu or Chinese violin, but the performers at this concert opened my eyes to the true abilities of the instrument. As there are not too many traditional Chinese music concerts advertised at the BSO or other, this concert was a wonderful opportunity to really experience Chinese music.


On the topic of not-so-common music, the article "Probing discoveries from adept ensemble" caught my attention. It focuses on a new group called "Discovery Ensemble" directed by Courtney Lewis. They performed Britten's "Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge," Frank Martin's "Jedermann," and Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (in that order). Of these three works, Beethoven's symphony is the most performed by far. Britten's Variations is what launched him into international recognition after its performance in 1937 at the Salzburg Festival. Martin is not as well known, but composed well into his eighties.


Discovery Ensemble is breaking out of the repetitive repertory that many classical ensembles are stuck in. The same symphonies, concertos, and operas have been performed over and over again. There is new music that has been composed and performed, but it makes up a small percentage of classical concerts. By including Beethoven's symphony, Discovery Ensemble is gently moving away from what has become the "regular" concert. Many larger ensembles are moving in this direction as well. The LA Master Chorale released a CD last year with compositions by Nico Muhly, a 2004 Julliard graduate.


There is absolutely nothing wrong with performing the "standard" works by great composers, but there are many more out there from the past to choose from, not to mention all the new compositions being written today. Some of them aren't necessarily groundbreaking, but then again many of the composers from 200 years ago weren't either.


Here is a link to the article:

http://tinyurl.com/5rtgp8p

New from the Front: Latest MacArthur Fellows

Today, this article appeared in The New York Times about the latest classical musicians to be made MacArthur fellows. The article briefly discusses the backgrounds of the two musicians, cellist Alisa Weilerstein and choral conductor Francisco J. Núñez, and includes some material from interviews of Weilerstein and Núñez. Weilerstein, who plays with her parents in the Boston-based Weilerstein Trio, has performed as a soloist with orchestras throughout the world, and will have her debut recording released next year on the Decca label. Núñez is the founding director of the outreach-based Young People's Chorus of New York City, which involves around 1,200 children every year in its program from various ethnic and economic backgrounds.

The article is worth reading for its information about two classical musicians whose cultural contributions have been recognized, but the material I will focus on stems from the editorial parts of the article. Anthony Tommasini, the author of the article, mentions the qualities the MacArthur Foundation recognizes with its awards: “originality, self-direction and capacity to contribute importantly to society.” He then notes trends found among the classical musicians who have been recipients of MacArthur grants in recent years:

There are the musicians who cross genres and styles and break down categories; the performers who champion contemporary music; and those artists who excel at communicating with audiences and bringing music to people who have been left out of the cultural loop, especially in poor neighborhoods.

After citing various MacArthur fellows as examples of the above-mentioned qualifications, he then continues with some questioning of the tendency to recognize as most significant those who push genre boundaries:

All these artists are highly skilled and deserving. Yet with its emphasis on pushing boundaries, transcending categories and contributing to society, the foundation is implicitly acknowledging that these valuable attributes are easier to discern than, say, who is the finest young cellist, based on technical skills, musical insights and interpretive dynamism, which are subjective calls.

Classical music has for too long (and I think, unfairly) been perceived as a specialized art form. Of course it is crucial for composers and performers to reach out, to connect with music and musicians from other genres. Virtuosity and excellence are not enough.

Still, there is a tendency in classical music to overvalue cross-stylistic and genre-blending work. Composers who draw from and mesh widely diverse styles receive immediate credit for doing something daring, as are performers who present their works. It can be much harder to recognize the boldness of a composer who adheres to a specific style and idiom. In the early years of the program, the MacArthur Foundation made a point of singling out some unapologetically modernist composers who had scant interest in stylistic crossbreeding, like Milton Babbitt, Ralph Shapey and Charles Wuorinen.

Anthony Tommasini, "Two Chosen 'Geniuses' Reflect on Label," The New York Times, October 3, 2011, accessed October 3, 2011, http://tinyurl.com/6bnakr6

Tommasini concludes that despite his criticism of the MacArthur foundation's past choices, the organization deserves praise for awarding Weilerstein and Núñez with grants. The recognition of Weilerstein and Núñez is encouraging for classical musicians, because while both of them make significant contributions to the spread of classical music's influence, neither of them necessarily focus on blending non-classical and classical traditions as a means of connecting with audiences (or choir members in Núñez's case), and neither do they primarily champion contemporary music while ignoring works from the standard repertoire in their performances.

Although Tommasini doesn't mention the term, the concept of "authenticity" seems to be related to what he says about the MacArthur Foundation's past choices of award recipients. Are those who do something new and daring more original and therefore more authentic than those who remain within a tradition? Tommasini states that the mere act of presenting something new and genre-crossing can instantly bring praise, but the work of musicians who work primarily within a certain idiom may go unrecognized because of their work's lack of a novelty. The reality is that a majority of classical musicians are not necessarily specialists in areas that would frequently defy categories or cross genres, but rather are trained and skilled in the performance or composition of music within certain idioms. Perhaps classical musicians do not need to be concerned primarily about crossing classical/non-classical genre boundaries in order to be relevant to modern audiences, but should instead focus on how and to whom to present music of the classical tradition with the "boldness" Tommasini mentions.

A New Thought About Classical Music in America

A book I read a bit of last month by Joseph Horowitz, Classical Music in America, referred to classical music as foreign to American culture. I thought about it and realized at least 90% of what is performed in concert programs throughout the country consists almost exclusively of works composed by Western-European composers.

It is not hard to recognize that the economic and social climate in America is changing; protests in major cities, our government at a political standstill, and hysteria about the alignment of the planets in 2012. With all that is happening outside of music, it’s not surprising that the world of music is going through it’s own changes.

Orchestras in all parts of the country are struggling to keep their budgets out of the red as they fight fewer donations, rising costs, and lower concert attendance.

There are many possible reasons for this trend. Ever since the first European exiles arrived on the continent, there has been a subconscious resentment for all things European. The biggest example of resentment are the events prior to, including, and following the American Revolutionary War. Even though the colonists were previously British subjects, many of them denounced the crown and from that rebellion rose the Union that became the United States of America.

Similar resentment exists today. When discussing the controversial subject of universal healthcare, a policy that many European nations have adopted, arguments against it claim it is socialist and therefore bad. When Americans think socialist, they think back to the Soviet Union and the Cold War which made many Americans fearful.

That is a whole different subject. With all the resentment that has been aimed at the European continent, why would it be a rational expectation that European music would thrive in an environment where it was not naturally contrived?

With all the problems classical symphonies face nowadays in the midst of economic crisis, I feel they have done extraordinarily well considering the factors against them. Works of Mozart and Beethoven have stood more than the test of time in America and even if they faded out this coming weekend, their success is a testament to the grand master composers and their music.

Democracy and the “State of Crisis” (or lack thereof) of Classical Music

Nicholas Cook’s chapter “A State of Crisis?” does well to question one of the central assumptions we often make about the future of classical music. It seems that cultural commentators wherever one turns are suggesting that classical music is, in some sense, under siege. Sometimes, this is expressed by conservative critics as an intrinsically bad thing, that the greatness of culture is being swallowed by Justin Bieber (or whoever they think currently represents the nadir of culture). Levine’s epilogue of Highbrow/Lowbrow provides some notable examples of such conservatives: Allan Bloom, author of The Closing of the American Mind, as well as William Crutchfield, who claims that classical music “is more accessible than it ought to be already, because we have gone fairly far down the road of cheapening and diluting it in order to make it accessible.” (Levine 1988: 254) At other times, new accessibility and fusion in classical music are hailed as great changes, things that will revive the life force in an otherwise flabby and conservative tradition. In either case, the commentators are convinced that classical music as we know it has reached its endpoint, and can only change or die.

This claim is, as Cook puts it, “too sweeping.” Classical music, and specifically “modern” classical music, may only flourish in certain contexts, “but the point is that in those areas it does flourish.” (1998: 46) We can become so certain that fusion with other forms of music will be the future of classical music that we tend to condemn music that doesn’t choose to reference other genres, calling it conservative and inaccessible. As A.O. Scott suggests in the film articles I cited here previously, this line of thinking is just as narrow-minded as conservative elitism – we end up tarring each other as “snobs” or “philistines”. Around a century ago, many American classical composers were convinced that jazz was the true American idiom, and that national American music must reflect this, creating a brand of jazz-classical fusion. By now, this idea seems at best quaint and dated (American classical music continued both with and without the influence of jazz), and at worst essentializing and racist in its equation of primal expression and pure authenticity with African-American music. There is nothing wrong with fusion as a technique, but there is nothing wrong with working within a set of genres either.

Ultimately, whether we see classical music as undergoing a “State of Crisis” or not comes down to how we define democracy. Democratic political theory has often played out tensions between views of individual or collective freedom. On the one hand, Marx’s view of collective freedom, denied to an oppressed class and then gained through revolution, fits well with our view of Crisis in classical music. Large groups of people have been denied access to classical music, both economically and through cultural capital. The progressive fusion side of the “State of Crisis” mindset holds that we must make music available and understandable to all. Cook’s objection, on the other hand, is more in line with the individual freedom of John Stuart Mill, celebrating eccentricity as the realm of the truly free. Why should there be anything wrong with appreciating a niche cultural phenomenon? If we can throw away holier-than-thou ideas about classical music (an admittedly heavy assumption), can we likewise throw away the idea that everyone must love classical music for it to be viable?

Each of these approaches fails to account for the other. How can we fuse these ideas? Perhaps classical music needs to take its cues from the counterculture movements of the 1960s, which combined socialist-democratic politics with pride in living at the fringes of society. Can we both celebrate holding a minority taste and make our minority more accepting of others? Can we envision making classical music more accessible without aimlessly hoping for the notoriety and sales clout of pop icons?