even tone?

Allen Wright allen.wright@oberlin.edu
Fri, 16 Apr 1999 13:47:50 -0400


--On Fri, Apr 16, 1999 12:42 PM +0000 "Michael Jorgensen"
<Michael.Jorgensen@cmich.edu> wrote: 

> no composers today born of ET
> who rival or even come close to the old masters?

I really dislike broad statements like that that are by definition purely
subjective - for one thing, are you sure that you've heard all the music
being written out there by composers right now who may be getting very
little exposure at the present, because of the general hostility or at least
skepticism towards new and difficult music? And for another, often it takes
a generation or two for new music to be given the sort of hearing it may
deserve, and also for people to be able to put it in the kind of context
that would enable it to be appraised more reasonably.

I've heard plenty of modern music that seems completely brilliant and
beautiful. I won't get into a name game, but to say that no modern composers
rank with "the old masters" seems like a sort of musty and conservative
antiquarianism.

Respectfully, 

Allen Wright
Oberlin Conservatory




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