On Aug 27, 2009, at 7:53 AM, Doug Henwood wrote:
> On Aug 27, 2009, at 12:34 AM, Joanna wrote:
>> From where I sit, music begins with dance (Bach's gigues, gavottes,
>> etc., Mozart's minuets, etc.) and dies a slow but sure death the
>> greater its distance from dance.
> Beethoven is very un-dancey - Balanchine said you couldn't
> choreograph to his music because it was so complete in itself. And
> it just doesn't get any better than Beethoven.
Wagner called the Seventh "The epitome of the dance." And what's wrong, Mr. Balanchine, with "Creatures of Prometheus?"
> And Schoenberg?
A successful ballet, "Pillar of Fire," was choreographed to "Verklärte Nacht."
> Even Bach's "dance" music is a long way from what people can cavort
> to. So I can't say I agree with this.
Shane Mage
> This cosmos did none of gods or men make, but it
> always was and is and shall be: an everlasting fire,
> kindling in measures and going out in measures."
>
> Herakleitos of Ephesos