tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post7850104828491390851..comments2024-03-27T23:06:03.736-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: Who Writes Symphonies?Bryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-4985318460764436212017-07-15T10:55:13.618-05:002017-07-15T10:55:13.618-05:00Music historiography is debated on rather a differ...Music historiography is debated on rather a different level as the leading musicologist is undoubtedly Taruskin, who serves to moderate the debate. I suppose it is a bit like the situation in literature 20 years ago.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-43895335780793374942017-07-14T21:28:52.703-05:002017-07-14T21:28:52.703-05:00At work all day, alas. It was Mark Steyn, here, wh...At work all day, alas. It was Mark Steyn, <a href="https://www.steynonline.com/7971/lutey-tunes" rel="nofollow">here</a>, who brought Capehart to my notice, then I read the Capehart Wikipedia page, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Capehart" rel="nofollow">here</a>, and then I read Capehart's version of the Sanders's photograph/some other person's photograph kerfuffle at the Post, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2016/02/13/bernie-sanders-and-the-clash-of-memory" rel="nofollow">here</a>. I had never read Capehart, although I knew the name having seen it at the Post. As I wrote, it's of interest only as an example of how difficult 'history' is to write. At least with music history, it isn't politicians and journalists fighting with each other.Marc in Eugenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04331547981498637474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-57211327029659017702017-07-14T11:39:54.575-05:002017-07-14T11:39:54.575-05:00Thanks Steven! Yes, the suppression of music, any ...Thanks Steven! Yes, the suppression of music, any music, I think, not just Western, is one of the most salient aspects of contemporary Islam along with the oppression of women.<br /><br />Marc, do you have a link to that?Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-83209436937274093882017-07-14T08:26:39.605-05:002017-07-14T08:26:39.605-05:00Bravo!
And-- this is of interest to me only becau...Bravo!<br /><br />And-- this is of interest to me only because of the larger point it illustrates-- check out the controversy about the University of Chicago protest photograph noted at the JC Wiki page (Sen Sanders's people say it's of Mr Sanders, Capehart et al say it's of someone else). These are folks only some forty years after the fact arguing about an event (at which members of both 'parties' were present): a great mix of romantic, sexual, political relationships-- and only forty years later what is the outsider interested in the 'true history' to do to sort all of it out? a good lesson pointing to the fallibility of the writers of history and of 'history' itself, Clio being no less changeable than the other gods and goddesses.Marc in Eugenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04331547981498637474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-51526263761333579612017-07-13T13:39:38.948-05:002017-07-13T13:39:38.948-05:00If feeling mischievous, I guess you could also say...If feeling mischievous, I guess you could also say that those words seem somewhat bold when spoken by an American, given how long it took for them to write and perform their own great symphonies. People always say we’ve become more American, but it might be the case that the Americans, in the 20th century, became more European. Could an Andrew Jackson have gone to Poland and say with a straight face, ‘We write symphonies’!?<br /><br />But I do think it was a very good example to use if you’re looking for contrast with the *modern* Islamic world, which Trump (or Stephen Miller or whoever wrote it) doubtless was. Of all regions, the Middle East has some of the closest historical ties to the West. Now the reverse is true. So regardless of Islamophilic historical talking-points, the situation now is that Islamic countries are cultural abysses. The complete lack of book translations into Arabic is often pointed out. But one seldom hears about the suppression of music in those countries. If I remember rightly, classical music -- and indeed all Western music -- is banned on public media in Iran. The Tehran Symphony Orchestra has been repeatedly killed and resurrected since 1979. (I did see that Riccardo Muti will doing a concert in Iran, which is wonderful progress.) And then there’s Pakistan, Saudi Arabia…<br /><br />Maybe one day a President from a free Iran will visit Poland and proclaim, ‘We write symphonies. We pursue innovation…’? Eh, to dream...<br />Stevenhttp://sluggingavampire.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com