GAVIN@HNYMPI52.BITNET (Gavin Burnage) (02/07/90)
> it is hard to make Bach sound boring, but there are > tons of later pieces which are boring). > A favorite remark of a cello playing friend was "Bach lived in the wrong > period" which period should he be/have been in? And while we're on the subjects of christian music, Bach, and organs, can I rave quietly about my favourite piece of Bach organ stuff which is a prelude in G major (BWV 568). One set of note sleeve notes I've seen about it says `a brilliant youth composition to make noise, with all the features to impress the listener : big scales, big chords, big pedal solos'. Right. Get it and turn it up loud. See also 911 and 547. > A classical flute player ( Mark Sackman, where are you? ) once told > me that classical pieces should not be considered archeological digs, > but then proceeds to criticize everyone's mother for not interpretting > it "right". > And then there is Wynton getting down on his own brother for playing with > Stink because it "dilutes" or "makes unpure" the art of jazz. Pertinent as ever, mr Beer sir. I suppose every genre has its pedants. In Irish trad, there are some who say that ornamental half notes (accidentals) are alien and an affront to generations of Irish dead. But where do you draw the line? Does the merging or blurring of styles ever matter? And if so when? James Galway might be a great flautist, but when he plays the tin whistle, what comes out ain't traditional music. I wouldn't mind, only he and several zillion concert-goers seem to think it is. Nigel Kennedy irritates some jazz people (so I've heard) cos he's classical and it shows. James Last irritates everybody except supermarket owners. On the other hand, non-classical people going the other way can come up with acceptable stuff, eg Irish band de Dannan who once did a pretty amazing version of the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba. Even my Dad liked that. > excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom.... Go ahead -- just let it all out...