Pablo Massa wrote in response to one of my last romantically and
mythologically pestered posts:

>Robert Peters:
>
>>I answer seriously: most artists have never had the courage to stretch
>>the limits of their art.  Some have.  But even these are restricted by
>>the times they live in.  I think the idea of a Beethoven living in our time
>>is a thrilling one.  Would he make use of the new musical means (electronic
>>instruments, sampling, dissonant harmonies, etc.)? I bet he would.
>
>You mix ethics with aesthetics, and that doesn't work always.

I think it does work here, you don't.  It is as simple as that.

>"Stretching" the limits of an art is not a matter of "courage", but of
>necessity, just like sexual passion.

Well, I've heard rumours that there a lot of very bad lovers around.  And
there are surely a lot of very mediocre artists around.  So stretching the
limits of art is not a necessity, it is, in my eyes, the exception.

>According to your romantic myth, John Cage would be a sort of
>guru-martyr-hero-prophete, and I think that he was just a funny guy.

What if he was both, Pablo? (But forget about the guru and the martyr and
the hero, I don't need any.  A bold artist who is not afraid of a lack of
understanding by the critics and the public:  that's enough for me.  And if
he also can laugh about himself like Cage certainly could I am more than
satisfied.  But probably this is a romantic myth and illusion, too...

Romantically and boldly,
Robert Peters
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