Message #8632

[Dundonnell]

I respect dyn's views but if he is of the opinion that a modern British composer like Robin Holloway is to be criticised for "being stuck in a museum of the past" and write that George Rochberg is one of his "least favourite" musical thinkers then I rather doubt that we shall find much common ground :)

Holloway is a composer I am determined to get to grips with, having willfully ignored his music for too long. I recall reading the (probably) famous interview with Rochberg published several years ago in "Tempo" magazine in which he attempted to justify his change of musical direction. Dyn obviously disapproves(probably not the right word!) of Rochberg's thinking but, since it clearly made sense to him and since the result was music with which I am more than comfortable, it would be disingenuous of me to pretend that I could agree with him.

Were I a young (or even youngish) composer I MIGHT think differently. I might wish to strike out in a different direction. But I am not. I am an orchestral music lover(I cannot claim to be a "specialist" ;D). I know what I like but (a) am of an exploratory nature within the broad scope of such music and (b)-I hope-that I can be educated to be a little more
adventurous in at least investigating a number of composers I had, probably wrongly, regarded as outside my "comfort zone".

Beyond that...........no. I do not seek to denigrate or demean those whose musical experimentation takes them into other "realms". There are plenty of people who can follow them there and they have every right to do so and to sing the praises of such music.

All I can do is to continue to express my own enthusiasms in the hope that others who share my tastes can enjoy the pleasure I have derived from music over the years.