Stop and prepare : Cage

[Quijote]

That's because this is your topic - it has always been the main source of interest for you on this forum. I would echo Preston's comments and I think this would be a more positive approach to the topic - let's try and be more constructive.

Fair enough. We have let things become a bit 'tetchy'. Let us rein ourselves in and keep it constructive.

[Peter]

Philip, would you mind giving me the name of someone who is good at electroacoustic music or showing me a good example of electroacoustic music, preferably on You Tube? I want to hear what all this is about. Thanks.

How have you got on Preston? I did provide a link earlier in the debate which I will suggest again but with no intent to provoke Philip! Denis Smalley features at the bottom of the page.

http://www.digital-music-archives.co...plication.php?

[Preston]

How have you got on Preston? I did provide a link earlier in the debate which I will suggest again but with no intent to provoke Philip! Denis Smalley features at the bottom of the page.

http://www.digital-music-archives.co...plication.php?

Strange indeed, it seems. Terrifying in a sense. I will have to listen to some more to see, more thoroughly, what it is about. There seems to be no real musical structure throughout the sample, perhaps this is your point Philip- what is music, what do we hear, what do we feel, etc.?

I do like the more pleasant New Age music, with the native flutes, 12 string guitars, or 6 string, etc.

I do think that synthesizers are interesting and could eventually be made into some type of brilliant computer technology that can create almost any sound possible. As for now, I do not think this is the case, perhaps someday though.

I know that the Smalley piece I heard, does not compare to the terror of the masters. For instance, I imagine that Beethoven's 5th or Mozart's Requiem holds far more terrifying sounds, at least for me I have trouble hearing this though, Smalley really puts it in your face, .

I do think that music is a very complex subject, when questions are asked such as- how does it work?

[Peter]

Strange indeed, it seems. Terrifying in a sense. I will have to listen to some more to see, more thoroughly, what it is about. There seems to be no real musical structure throughout the sample, perhaps this is your point Philip- what is music, what do we hear, what do we feel, etc.?

I do like the more pleasant New Age music, with the native flutes, 12 string guitars, or 6 string, etc.

I do think that synthesizers are interesting and could eventually be made into some type of brilliant computer technology that can create almost any sound possible. As for now, I do not think this is the case, perhaps someday though.

I know that the Smalley piece I heard, does not compare to the terror of the masters. For instance, I imagine that Beethoven's 5th or Mozart's Requiem holds far more terrifying sounds, at least for me I have trouble hearing this though, Smalley really puts it in your face, .

I do think that music is a very complex subject, when questions are asked such as- how does it work?

To be fair Preston you can't really judge structure on such small samples, it would be better to purchase one of the cds or try to attend a performance. I also think you have to put all thoughts of Mozart or Beethoven out of your head when listening to this - it is a completely different sound world which you either respond to or do not.

[Preston]

Peter, I don't want to embrace it. I would rather feel the purity of Beethoven, etc., but it seems that, for me, this is a hard thing to achieve- so I resort to pleasant New Age, etc. And I do enjoy listening to the music of composers like Nobuo Uematsu, Jeremy Soule, etc.

[Quijote]

I have thought long enough about Peter's and Preston's questions, which can be reduced (as they ask) to this : What is electroacoustic music about? What it is trying to say?
When you can tell me precisely what Beethoven is "about" and what he is trying to "say" I might, in turn, attempt an answer. Until then, I will limit my next posting to the issue of the Immortal Beloved (Solomon/IB). Study well.
Adieu.

[Preston]

Welll, I don't know if I can tell you precisely! I doubt that anyone could. I do feel that you have to like Beethoven, the human being, to like his music. This is one reason that I looked into Beethoven. When I was much younger, I used to think him some dirty, rude, and an egoist of a man. Now I think the complete opposite. I realize that he was a person who suffered immensely, which is sad and terrifying, but that he was an unimaginably good hearted person. "It is the finest blades that are most easily blunted". I imagine that a lot of people who have suffered greatly in life, can relate to him- only, he was a sublime genius.

I think that Beethoven tried to say many, deep and spiritual, things through his music. Each piece of music, holds a different meaning, I think. I do not think that Beethoven left only one message behind, I think he left many. I imagine that with Beethoven, each note, may hold a different and deep, meaning.

I do think that Beethoven was, about- spirituality and better human nature, in the very general sense. Which, I feel, are unimaginably hard things to achieve.

In short, there is so much to Beethoven, and composers like him, that it cannot be defined with words, perhaps through music though.

[Peter]

I have thought long enough about Peter's and Preston's questions, which can be reduced (as they ask) to this : What is electroacoustic music about? What it is trying to say?
When you can tell me precisely what Beethoven is "about" and what he is trying to "say" I might, in turn, attempt an answer. Until then, I will limit my next posting to the issue of the Immortal Beloved (Solomon/IB). Study well.
Adieu.

I won't single Beethoven out because it applies to all that I regard as music. Music is a language of emotion and produces in us a whole variety of responses. It really expresses our deepest feelings and spirituality from sublimity to despair. You don't need to believe in God or be a Christian to sense the devotion in Bach for example. Haydn's optimism and humour shine through his works and Chopin's suffering is evident in much that he wrote.

Now my point about electroacoustic is that what I have heard (admittedly little) fails to produce these responses in me, but most importantly I gain no pleasure from listening to it. It seems completely contrived and artificial not coming from deep personal experience - not a true reflection of the artist's soul if you like. These are my own personal views and I simply wanted you to try and enlighten me as to what I am missing and why I do not respond in the way you do - what are you getting out of it?

I shall close this topic now for no other reason than we have reached our self imposed 5 page limit. A new thread can be started if you wish to continue.