[Doc Sarvis]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/28/ar...87&oref=slogin

 

[mikeg]

Great article. Thanks Doc

 

[Aman]

A very informative article. Thanks for posting this!

But personally, I think that the Classical Music industry is lucky that it didn't get put to a terrible end in the sixties, with the invention of the melotron. Did anybody here know that they were forced to put a time limit on the looping capabilities of the melotron because the classical music performers union feared they'd all be put out of business?

The possibility of that happening really wasn't that unrealistic. They're lucky that they caught that!

I'm optomistic to see more NEW classical pieces. I think part of the lack of interest lately has been because there are no longer any Edgar Vareses, or John Cages - people that used the most advanced of technologies available to them to create and enhance their works. Phillip Glass is practically in that field by himself!

 

[mikeg]

What is a melotron?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman A very informative article. Thanks for posting this! But personally, I think that the Classical Music industry is lucky that it didn't get put to a terrible end in the sixties, with the invention of the melotron. Did anybody here know that they were forced to put a time limit on the looping capabilities of the melotron because the classical music performers union feared they'd all be put out of business? The possibility of that happening really wasn't that unrealistic. They're lucky that they caught that! I'm optomistic to see more NEW classical pieces. I think part of the lack of interest lately has been because there are no longer any Edgar Vareses, or John Cages - people that used the most advanced of technologies available to them to create and enhance their works. Phillip Glass is practically in that field by himself!

 

[steel102]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mellotron

 

[Febs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeg What is a melotron?

A keyboard instrument that was the precursor of the synthesizer. It consisted of a number of tapes--essentially each key on the keyboard would be associated with a different tape--and the tapes contained sounds like flutes and other things. When you pressed a key, the tape associated with that key would play.

Probably the most famous example of a mellotron is the beginning of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields."

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aman I'm optomistic to see more NEW classical pieces. I think part of the lack of interest lately has been because there are no longer any Edgar Vareses, or John Cages - people that used the most advanced of technologies available to them to create and enhance their works. Phillip Glass is practically in that field by himself!

I wouldn't put Glass in the same experimental category as Cage at all (and I think that's a good thing for contemporary classical music, since Glass's music is usually much more accessible and enjoyable).

Composers like John Cage only help to kill popular interest in classical music.

 

[mikeg]

thanks, steel and febs.

 

[Sladeophile]

Classical music RULES! I have always felt this way. Whenever I went to a symphony concert, there were just as many of us youngsters there as elderly people. IMO classical music will always have the stigma of being on the brink of extinction because so few people can really understand and enjoy it! It's not like turning on your favorite local radio station or listening to a rock concert with driving beats that are very easy to get you involved. Very often in the classical scene for me it is up to me to really get involved in what I'm hearing and apply it as I please. This is what makes classical so enjoyable for me, it's not in your face how you should interpret it, it's completely personal...

 

[granodemostasa]

this type of article is the new fad... the LA times and SFC put up their own versions earlier...
point: last i checked the SFO concerts this weekend were all sold out.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Great article.

And, surprisingly to some, classical is quite popular in Los Angeles. We've got two classical stations on FM and tickets to the LA Phil at the Disney Concert Hall are not inexpensive and not always easy to come by.

I've attended more classical concerts than anything else thanks to my aunt and uncle, but also because I learned how to play the clarinet about 25 years ago, and have picked up several more instruments since. That lead to a lifelong interest.

One reason I think classical will remain relevant is because it is challenging and rewarding, unlike 99% of mainstream music. What's in the mainstream, generally, is not musically interesting whatsoever. When was the last time you heard a tempo or dynamic change on the FM dial? Not to mention more complex techniques. What's mainstream is all simple compositions repeated over and over. The music never goes anywhere. Exactly like children's music.

A percentage of the population will always be curious enough to seek out something more sophisticated. They're just not going to find that outside of classical, jazz or a few indie subcultures.

 

[hembergler]

I've been invited to go to some Red Sox games with friends before, but something always came up, so I couldn't go. I was always pretty disappointed. But easily the most disappointing time was when I couldn't go to the BSO+John Williams.

While some of my friends are in the "classical-music-is-for-old-people" camp, most of my friends are definately not opposed to classical music.

 

[JayG]

What's wrong with the BSO + Jimmy Levine? I'd take that over BSO + Williams any day unless the program was entirely John Williams compositions.

 

[mikeg]

My wife and I recently drove from Florida to Sadona, AZ, and back, and then to NYC, and back. We were able to receive PBS stations almost everywhere, at approx. the same locations on the FM dial, and classical music was therefore almost always readily available.

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JayG What's wrong with the BSO + Jimmy Levine? I'd take that over BSO + Williams any day unless the program was entirely John Williams compositions.

There's nothing wrong with the BSO under JL, as long as you are prepared to wait, and wait, and wait. I don't know how his rehab is coming but I don't expect to see him conducting at all next season.

Although he hoped to return by July 7, a torn rotator cuff can cause problems for months and months and months. In addition, he has to get his weight down so I don't really expect him back very soon.