tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post1880886910109129187..comments2024-03-29T07:38:17.008-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: Shoehorning it inBryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-39162545181361337932017-11-22T15:05:12.272-06:002017-11-22T15:05:12.272-06:00It is an awfully good idea to express our gratitud...It is an awfully good idea to express our gratitude for all the great music that has come down to us--especially this time of the year.<br /><br />Yes. lots of contrived hysteria out there. What attracted me to this article was that it was quite sober, not hysterical. Mind you, still trapped within a rigid ideology...<br /><br />Musicians like Mozart and Beethoven were well aware of the music of Bach, but it was indeed Mendelssohn who revived the public performances of his larger works. So you could say that Mendelssohn popularized Bach.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-8671404835940540392017-11-22T14:53:36.888-06:002017-11-22T14:53:36.888-06:00Caveat: I am unable to get worked up about the De...Caveat: I am unable to get worked up about the Dead White Guy syndrome that has so many agitated these days.<br /><br />To my mind, one of the great things about music that is composed and preserved with notation (the bulging treasure trove of Western Classical (Art) Music is that it can (1) be performed by anyone regardless of gender or race; (2) be appreciated and prompt connections and feelings and enjoyment by anyone regardless of race or gender or culture; (3) outlast (hopefully) the tyranny of neo-Marxism that has claimed the spotlight at the present time. [Remember, the works of J.S. Bach were neglected until their rehabilitation by Mendelssohn. (Correct me if I have this wrong)] <br /><br />It seems to me that the gnashing of teeth, rending of clothes and tearing of hair that is triggered in some when they look at the history of this great music is just mis-spent energy. The great gift is the music left for us.Davidnoreply@blogger.com