Good News! Nilda is back (excerpt)

From the song cycle, "Miz Inez Sez" by David Del Tredici with the composer at the piano. Poetry by Colette Inez. Performed at Sarah Lawrence College on April 4, 2007 in celebration of DDT's 70th birthday.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Del
• Tredici
• Classical
• Fogarty
• Inez

[organman52]

Yet another example of 'new' 'music' - not conceived internally in the ear of the 'composer', but plunked out on a keyboard and then copied to music paper. The rhythmic language is antiquated, the harmony has 'been there done that' a million times already, and, like most 'new' 'music', it's sounds like the 'neo' version of something else. Those who write 'music' today must feel a compulsion to continue in the footsteps of the masters. But guess what? They are no masters.

[MissyFo]

It's one thing if you don't like the piece and think it's derivative. You are entitled to your opinion. But what basis do you have that DDT did not conceived of this internally, etc. etc.? Presumptious if you ask me. And of course "been there done that"--most of the EXCERPT is a quote! (can you name the tune?)

[organman52]

I'll tell what my basis is: I have studied the masterworks for 50 years now and if there is ONE THING that I can assert without any doubt, it is that great music emerges within the imagination of the composer - IN ITS COMPLETED FORM. Are you not aware that Mozart, for example, conceived many works at once? I'd like to see Mr. Del Tredici - or ANY living 'composer' - accomplish such a feat. 'New' 'music' is labored. It cannot possibly be original. Musical evolution ceased after Messiaen.

[MissyFo]

Mozart remains in a class by himself (or maybe with Bach).The question remains, how do you know that DDT doesn't come up with the music in its completed form? He certainly has told me, "that's what came to me in my head..." How do you tell by just listening to something whether it was labored or not?

[studentjohn36]

new music ceased at Messaien? Most music teachers in the 1960's insisted that Music ended, full stop, with Debussy.

[organman52]

You have no idea who I am, what my credentials, and you will never know. And what makes you think that one has to be a composer in order to critique the 'music' of the masqueraders? Especially the masqueraders. Those who believe DDT writes art music reveal something about themselves as well - they have no idea what great music is and where it came from.

Is Mozart's 40th Symphony an illusion? Is the Brahms German Requiem an illusion? The only illusion is YOU.

[hikarikage01]

Yes, anyone CAN write music. It is all about creating an illusion. Name one thing in the arts that is real? Architecture is only a three-dimensional illusion with function added on. Unless it is Bauhaus.

Everything we do in life is learned. Do you write music, or have written anything? If so, post a link if you have. Again, if you don't write music, then you are just another "sportswriter" that doesn't know what goes on in the sport(composition) you are talking about.

[organman52]

Can ANYONE understand a word she is singing? Is it English? Hungarian? Korean? I think the final word is 'back', so it must be English.

[organman52]

No - YOU are the one who misses the point. Great music is not a result of 'decisions'. It is a result of internal hearing and otherwordly inspiration. Your suggestion to 'try composing, even a short piece' implies that anyone can write music. And most people agree with you. Remember this: Mozart and Beethoven, e.g., aren't just 'anybodies'. They were BORN to create musical masterworks. Those who masquerade as composers today DECIDED TO BECOME 'composers' at some point in their life. Ridiculous.

[hikarikage01]

Once again, the point is being missed. If you are not a composer, artist, sculptor, you are simply speculating as how the work is created.  Try composing, even a short piece, and then you would only begin to understand the decisions a composer must make when creating music.

[ruizcomposer]

Actually the fact of make pastiche is not a value in itself (compare to Berio's Sinfonia) and comunicability should not be a value neither, otherwise Beyonce's music would be more valuable than DDT's. The only remarkable thing here is not been ashamed of playing that tambourine so bad!

[organman52]

I will answer by asking you this question - where does great visual art come from, e.g., a Michelangelo fresco or sculpture?

[hikarikage01]

Studying scores is one thing, actually composing music is another. I am still interested to know anyone could know how 'great music emerges within the imagination of the composer'(?) More importantly, by that reckoning, Beethoven would fall outside this definition since he left volumes of sketchbooks of his music. Again, studying music isn't the same as composing. Just sports writers that write about a sport they have never played, it is really all pure speculation, and often off the mark.

[logenisti]

I generally like DDT's stuff.

I still treasure his "Alice" pieces to this day!

While there is a use of "pastiche" elements here and there, he still makes it his own, and more importantly, communicable!

This is what every great artist is supposed to do, whether they be John Adams or Alban Berg!