janzen@pipa.DEC (11/13/84)
RE: Most of everything is garbage. This is beside the point. Tolerate diversity; admit of variety in music. Different people enjoy different things. Some avant-gardists have decided that Muzak has a certain appeal; this is true when a certain listening attitude is assumed. However, different listening attitudes are appropriate for different music. For example, _Structures_ for two pianos by Pierre Boulez is a complete failure as traditional serial counterpoint, but is compelling when listened to the same way we might listen to Cartridge Music or Atlas Ecliptacalis both of John Cage, as a representation of chaos, rather than of fascistic order, the essence of post-war serialism. We may listen to Muzak the way we listen to Harold Budd's music, for the consonance, prettiness, its hypnotic quality, and undemandingness. A listener with a repetoire of listening attitudes can enjoy a fountain for its feminine assertian in an urban soundscape, a badly played 'cello, a baby crying, an out-of-tune piano, a fine baroque flute recital, or Debby Hary, whom I enjoyed years ago on Saturday Night. However, a listener with only one listening attitude, suitable for only one music, is poverty- stricken. Their listening lives are narrow and unvaried. On the other hand, they may never know what they miss. There is no bad music. There may be poorly executed ideas, but always look for the well- imagined behind it. There may be pretension, but look for the ideals behind it. There may be conservativism, but look for the polish and craft of its accomplishment. Find something to enjoy in all music, and your musical life will flourish. This is the articulation of the unspoken philosophy behind Carl Stone's program, Imaginary Landscape, on KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles & environs. It's on Tuesday at 9:30 PM. Carl is a composer, has met everyone, been everywhere, heard everything, and is in the center of new music politics in Los Angeles, just the one we should want there. Yours, Thomas E. Janzen Digital Equipment 111 Locke St. Marlboro MA 01752 Thu 1-Nov-1984 18:25 EST