tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2277102232656697042.post1863121581563839771..comments2023-05-19T07:09:24.714-07:00Comments on 101 Classical Music CDs: Bartok: Violin Concerto #2Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02388302796031288076noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2277102232656697042.post-54705718892571404252008-11-30T20:23:00.000-08:002008-11-30T20:23:00.000-08:00Hi Chantal! Thanks for your thoughts. I hear you...Hi Chantal! Thanks for your thoughts. I hear you, and I can understand the argument (for art or music) that you don't need to be familiar with prior eras to be able to appreciate modern or current works. <BR/><BR/>But in my opinion, it definitely helps deepen one's understanding in almost all cases. The music (or art, or poetry, or literature) of today either builds on--or deliberately throws off--the formal structure of past eras. <BR/><BR/>In poetry, Ezra Pound had to have iambic pentameter in order to rebel from it. In music, Schoenberg had to have the prior era's 8 tone scale in order to rebel and work with his whole tone scale. And in art, you needed to have representative work first in order to have abstract art.<BR/><BR/>So there's merit to both sides of the argument. But in my view, much (though not all) of the classical music of the modern era is really challenging to the novice listener. Advanced listeners may find music by artists like Bartok accessible, but novice listeners in many instances find it TOO hard, and thus get turned off from classical music entirely. I guess I wrote this post with that listener in mind, not the more advanced listener. <BR/><BR/>Once again, thanks for your thoughts and I look forward to reading your own post on this subject!!<BR/><BR/>DKDanielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02388302796031288076noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2277102232656697042.post-12885224048330550702008-11-30T20:06:00.000-08:002008-11-30T20:06:00.000-08:00Howdy, Daniel....Bartok 2 is my absolute favorite ...Howdy, Daniel....<BR/><BR/>Bartok 2 is my absolute favorite violin concerto, of all time, ever ever ever. I listen to this piece about every other week or so, and never grow tired of its beauty. I was quite happy to see you were writing about it!<BR/><BR/>However, I found myself inching in to modern music's corner the further I got in to your comments about this. I will probably elaborate on this more on my own blog the next day or two, but I just want to mention a few things. I hope I don't come across as argumentative or rude, as I am certainly not trying to be!<BR/><BR/>I'm not convinced at all, that anyone has to be familiar with major works of previous eras to appreciate this work, or another newer work. We don't say that about visual art, do we? Or Literature? Why so with classical music? For perhaps some completely obscure out there pieces of music written recently, perhaps. However not all music needs to be well prefaced with music of earlier eras. My love of Mozart's violin concertos--all of which are delightful and charming, have nothing to do with my love for Bartok's piece. I fear that we are scaring people away from more modern music when we say that people should listen to earlier stuff to really get, or understand, or like, or appreciate, this newer stuff. Newer music is not too lofty or weird or whatever for people to love, like, and enjoy, without knowing the warhorses of before.<BR/><BR/>And too much complexity? Maybe we are too used to the big Mozart, Brahms, and Beethoven works! From my point of view, I am thrilled to hear a work that literally makes my ears work harder--it's a breath of fresh air to me. It's a change from the norm, it's veering off the road I'm used to, and for that, I am forever grateful to newer music. <BR/><BR/>Those are just a few thoughts for chewing on...I'll post a longer blog about this in the next day or two, and perhaps I will be able to explain myself better. In the meantime, happy CD listening my friend! As always, I look forward to your next installment!Chantalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08533234956314081793noreply@blogger.com