Richard Uvjary:

>...the current cornucopia of musical styles that have now taken
>"share of voice" in our culture.  As an art form, how can "contemporary
>classical" compete with the overwhelming acceptance of how we like our
>music today.  Its notes just get drowned out through the sheer energy
>of those winning,competing styles.  Seems like a question of finding its
>identity and crossover may help here.  Perhaps through this melding of
>styles, this modern era that classical is going through will see sparks
>that will jumpstart some real good new music.

I'm puzzled about this _waiting_ for good new music.  Surely the music
to come will come, but why wait when there's so much 'real good new
music' out and about now!?  No jumpstart needed, no Sarah Brightman
nor William Joel Esq.  required: the sparks are already flying.

My feeling is that 5 years ago one could grumble about neglected dozens
of good composers and the dearth of current ones on CD.  The problem for
me now is keeping Marek straight and distinct from Kinsella, or finding
the time to spin some Erkii-Sven Tuur, Carl Vine, Murray Adaskin's chamber
music, or Steve Mackey CDs just once more -- or maybe instead finally
rip open that Elisabetta Brusa, Vol 1.

Naxos is responsible for this last, and of Ferrero, Prin and Balada
...and, soon, Akio Yashiro and an Australian-Luxembourger called Georges
Lentz.

So where's the dearth?  Not that it's all great: you won't hear me rave
about Ferrero, and Prin's a little nutopian for me.  But lots of music
by others mentioned above -- all but two still being youngish composers
-- does delight.

Maybe, on the other hand, it's an expectation that from all the 'winning,
competing' styles you mention, some single mode of music-making will
emerge as The 21st Century Style?  I wouldn't hold my breath ...nor
would I want to be left without the entire range.

In any case, the way I see it the central preoccupation is always finding
the time to enjoy them.  There's so much good 20th and 21st century music
about, that my frustrations come down to: when will Tuur compose something
large again?; who's going to record John Kinsella's other symphonies,
or his Cello Concerto?, and: when's Eve Egoyan coming out with a CDful
of her glassy Scriabin?

Bert Bailey, in Ottawa (rather belatedly responding to RU's note)