Donald Satz wrote:

>Jocelyn Wang replies to Margaret Mikulska:
>
>>>Thank goodness Carter, Boulez, and others do get some recognition as
>>>well.
>>
>>Yeah, we need more cacophony.
>
>Jocelyn's comment is snide and insulting to those who appreciate Carter,
>Boulez, and others.  Do I hear a vote for 'variety'?

I appreciate Carter and Boulez and I did not find the comment insulting.
My dictionary defines cacophony as harsh-sounding; harsh jarring sound;
dissonance...All of these terms are subjective.  According to the Harvard
Dictionary of Music..."In spite of numerous efforts, no wholly satisfactory
explanation and definition of consoance and dissonance have yet been
found." Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Perhaps it is the connotation of the word; as it comes from words meaning
bad, evil and voice.  If it was the intent to suggest that much of the
music of Carter and Boulez is bad or evil...one would need to define "bad"
or "evil" music.  Just because someone uses a tritone,"mi contra fa,
diabolus in musica" does not make the music evil.

In short, if the comment was intented to be subjective, fine, if it was
meant to say "evil voice"...not knowing how to express this nicely,I am
reminded of a "religious" song written during the early 60s...it offered
the lyric, "If your hair is too long, there's sin in your heart."

Karl