Unsung composers! - Pashchenko etc.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Some sharp and effective rejoiners here to various pieces of prejudice. And I approve of the way rejoiners are based on evidence, rather than mere opinion.

But I rather fear that a defence of Sorabji might lead you to getting your head bitten off on this forum!

I have no quarrel at all with the implicit editorial policy (as it were) that the forum revolves around traditional, largely 19th century, music. That's absolutely fine. After all I would be surprised to encounter discussions of eg Sebald in a literary journal or forum largely devoted to Victorian literature.

What I do find distasteful, and actually rather upsetting, is that when a composer pops up whose work goes beyond the forms, and the use of melody or harmony or musical texture associated with 'traditional' music then the old guard rushes out, throws up its arms in horror, and proclaims unforgiveable rudenesses based on nothing much more than personal opinion, unwillingness to actually listen to Sorabji or whoever, and perhaps a straight-jacketed and even lazy mode of thought. There's almost an assumption that a lot of what is quaintly called 'modern' music can't possibly be comprehensible or even worthwhile unless it conforms to the forms and language of 'traditional' music. Hardly open-minded thinking, and I wonder what these chaps would have said had they lived in, for example, Vienna in 1795 when an impetuous young man from Bonn arrived in the city. For evidence just try searching for, eg Birtwistle (or most other recent composers writing deeply searching music) and you will see comparisons between that music and the sound of drunken demented cats on heat on a tin roof, or whatever. Unforgiveable really!

True, Sorabji's music is not for every day. But most of it I have found deeply rewarding given the willingness to actually listen to it properly. Likewise, on the sole evidence of the String Quintet, your own music. And the stature of many of the performers who have given us memorable and often overwhelming performances of the Sorabji music - or of the recorded performance of your Quintet - is ample testimony to the quality of the music. But now I expect the bricks will come hurtling in!

Peter

[Alan Howe]

Gentlemen: let's tone down the rhetoric and offer views backed up by facts in a spirit of mutual respect.

Having said that, let's also remind ourselves that the purpose of this forum is to pursue a "General discussion about Unsung Composers of the romantic era and their music". While we have allowed considerable flexibility in the interpretation of the word 'romantic', I doubt whether Birtwistle comes under this heading...

[ahinton]

But I rather fear that a defence of Sorabji might lead you to getting your head bitten off on this forum!

I have a surgeon at the ready to stitch mine back on again if ever that occurs!

True, Sorabji's music is not for every day. But most of it I have found deeply rewarding given the willingness to actually listen to it properly. Likewise, on the sole evidence of the String Quintet, your own music. And the stature of many of the performers who have given us memorable and often overwhelming performances of the Sorabji music - or of the recorded performance of your Quintet - is ample testimony to the quality of the music.

Very many thanks for your intelligent observations about the performers of Sorabji's music and your kind words about my own, in which the performers' immense dedication and perception are on a level with their brilliance and the splendour of the recording as a recording, for all of which I am eternally fortunate.

But now I expect the bricks will come hurtling in!

Then let's use them to build a new venue for the performance of Sorabji's music!

Best,

Alistair