tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post3759089810532943009..comments2024-03-27T23:06:03.736-05:00Comments on The Music Salon: And He Scores!Bryan Townsendhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-16044824845946016502014-03-09T15:54:42.092-05:002014-03-09T15:54:42.092-05:00Well said.Well said.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-25536666079487383282014-03-09T15:42:39.574-05:002014-03-09T15:42:39.574-05:00My view, probably following in the footsteps of So...My view, probably following in the footsteps of Socrates and Plato, is that truth is an activity and a process that takes place when problems and issues are discussed freely. So I welcome your comments and those of others as they usually offer additional perspectives and angles that gets to a fuller picture than I offered in my original post.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-84130458071896324672014-03-09T13:24:14.560-05:002014-03-09T13:24:14.560-05:00Oh I know, I did understand your perspective (that...Oh I know, I did understand your perspective (that you wanted to describe the music objectively) which is why I tried to aim my comments at nobody in particular. I know that <i>you</i> know better, but there are many people that don't which is a bit distressing to me. I suppose it's just an easy target because it is so initially repulsive. However, it of course makes little sense to force yourself to enjoy it if that is your reaction. It's not really important to me that you become "converted", but there are (hopefully) others reading this blog that may take your words a bit out of context, I'm hoping to guard against blind prejudice. It's my experience that people genuinely don't give it any chance at all. They should definitely follow Mr. Atkinson's example of experiencing something new and unfamiliar, though clearly Elgar is more approachable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-21906790642728204952014-03-09T12:40:51.399-05:002014-03-09T12:40:51.399-05:00I knew I would get some pushback from you Bridge! ...I knew I would get some pushback from you Bridge! My little phrase that you quote is a metaphor so it can be neither true nor false. But it is either appropriate or inappropriate and you are perfectly free and perhaps even justified in saying it is inappropriate.<br /><br />Oh yes, there are many techniques being used here to handle tension and release, of course, but they are very subtle and complex. What the ordinary listener--which is what I was trying to be for the purposes of this exercise--hears is more the surface, which is what I was describing. Oh yes, I'm sure the music is very connected. I was noticing these connections more the third and fourth time I listened.<br /><br />But I still find it a big grueling to listen to, even though it would, probably, deliver rewards in the long run.Bryan Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09482696991279345516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8827040061563065922.post-32031519674271825022014-03-09T12:08:56.721-05:002014-03-09T12:08:56.721-05:00" … but then it proceeded to eat the music so..." … but then it proceeded to eat the music so we have nothing left but dissonance."<br /><br />This is not exactly true. The treatment of dissonance in the classical sense has been completely abolished but there are many more factors at play here beside just melodic/harmonic tension and release. The serialist techniques for, yes, handling dissonance in the broadest sense of the word are quite numerous and it is a great myth that there is nothing more to 12-tone music than feeding a tone row into a system and accepting whatever may come out (not that I am accusing you of believing so.) I understand somewhat what you mean by the music sounding hysterical although it doesn't to me as I am so used to 12-tone by now. It doesn't surprise me anymore and in fact sounds perfectly natural in a sense. Not that I don't perceive it as tense, but I have long since stopped waiting for that V-I. It's constantly evolving, passing through all keys and none - though the music is much more connected than you claim. The concerto requires many listens to fully appreciate in my opinion, and it certainly rewards these listens.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com