elf@utcsrgv.UUCP (Eugene Fiume) (01/04/84)
These "Bach is terribly underrated" statements strike me as being
a little facile. Let's be objective. We define a simple function U(C)
which measures the "underratedness" of composer C as the ratio of
her/his critically vs. popularly acclaimed compositions. Formally,
U(C): {Composers} -> [0,infinity] such that
U(C) = CriticallyAcclaimedCompositions(C) / PopularlyAcclaimedCompositions(C).
An underrated composer c would surely have a very large U(c).
Conversely for an overrated composer. Choose the set of critics as you like.
If you like this (very simple-minded) measure, then I'm sure you're also
persuaded that Bach is by no means underrated. In fact, in the total ordering
of all composers wrt U(C), Bach would lie very close to the middle, meaning
that he is very close to being the least underrated AND least overrated
composer. This may be justification for saying Bach is one of the "finest"
composers that ever lived.
Since the problem of determining the finest composer reduces to that of
finding a mutually acceptable measure, the latter problem is ultimately
undecidable, since the former is. But why do we all concentrate on
talking about the former? Let's change that. At least the act of discovering
new and wonderful measures, which is itself intrinsically absurd,
might tell us something useful about ourselves (but probably not much about
composers).
Eugene Fiume
U of Toronto
utzoo!utcsrgv!elfcbf@allegra.UUCP (Charles B. Francois) (01/06/84)
Gee, somehow I thought rabbit!ark's original quote "Bach is the most underrated of composers" was intended simply as a humorous statement of worship for J.S. -- "Yes, but is it art?" Charles B. Francois (decvax!allegra!cbf)
elf@utcsrgv.UUCP (Eugene Fiume) (01/09/84)
My snipe was not directed at anyone in particular, since I usually forget who says what. I was trying to point out that it is much more fun hearing \fIwhy\fR someone's music (or that "someone") is great than hearing that a a person on the net thinks that composer X had an IQ so large that even a number with as many digits as there are grains of sand couldn't hold it. In the former category, I would put oscar's excellent article on Mahler and the follow-ups. In the latter, I would put all of these "best of the year" things; however, all you have to do to make even these interesting is put a little thought behind the opinions. If that means 148-line news articles, fine. Me? I haven't time to compose 148-line articles. But I am very happy some people have chosen to, because it has been good reading. Eugene Fiume U of Toronto utcsrgv!elf