Jazz

Justin Schwartz jkschw at hotmail.com
Fri Jan 19 14:21:54 PST 2001


I thought that my characterization of you as musically sophisticated would do as an "apology," but if you insist on a regular one, OK, I was wrong. I am sorry. I apologize. Put your foot on my chest. Does that feel better? You know more about music than I do. But I am not an ignoramus either. --jks


> > Nothing is wrong with just jamming; but you seem to identify
>"composition"
> > exclusively with a written score.
>
>No I don't. Some music is composed and non-notated. Some music is composed
>and notated. For that matter, some music is improvised and notated, some
>is improvised and non-notated. I'll be happy to provide examples. Anyone
>with the slightest level of musical sophistication knows this.
>
> > Anyway, you will
> > also know that improvisation was a part of the baroque practice:
>
>Yes I do know. Improvisation was but also is part of baroque practice for
>countless chuch organists and musicianship instructors, among others. The
>same goes for renaissance practice, romantic/classical practice, atonal
>practice, post-tonal practice, minimalist practice, post-minimalist
>practice, rock practice, punk practice, country practice, etc. Jazz is by
>no means unique in having a monopoly on improvisation. The repeated claim
>that it is is only accurate in the most superficial and trivial sense.
>
> > is it
> > Bach's Fifth Brandenburg Concerto that has an improv section?
>
>No it does not. It does have the famous "tail wagging the dog"
>harpsichord cadenza which sounds, indeed probably was at one time,
>improvised.
>
> > This wasn't
> > unusual. However, you can have the word "composition" if you want it. I
> > willa lso give you "virtuoso." Any other words you want? Btw, I don't
>know
> > the Parker pieces you are referring to. --jks
>
>How about an apology for describing my opinions as "extraordinarily
>ignorant" and not making an attempt to support your characterization with
>a shred of evidence?
>
>Before we beg off on this thread (mercifully):
>
>Why is it that those with decent politics feel so comfortable making
>ignorant and baseless statements about music. Why can't those with truly
>reprehensible politics, like Leo or Nathan, or Leon Wieseltier or Hilton
>Kramer make them instead? Is it that principled leftists share the
>assumption that music and the arts generally really don't matter very
>much? A reasonable assumption, I suppose, but disappointing in any case.
>
>John
>

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