Bernard Chasan <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>Billy Joel, interviewed by the fawning Charlie Rose, did precisely what
>James Tobin noted in a recent communication: identifyed the alternative
>to the good stuff with the avant garde.  The villain was Schoenberg and
>his followers, and Joel charactitured that music by producing a few ugly
>noises.  Rose did not challenge him.  Perhaps Rose is not into classical
>music, and of course Rose never challenges anyone.Joel, promoting his
>recent piano works, said that it was time for " the rest of us" to take
>back classical music.  An unpleasant performance from someone who should
>know better.

I didn't see the interview, nor have I heard Joel's attempts at classical
music; nor is this is not an attempt to resurrect a tired and fruitless
debate, but Joel is hardly the only one who identifies Schoenberg and his
atonal followers as villians.  Depicting Schoenberg via unpleasant sounds
is hardly a de facto charicature, as Schoenberg created a great many on
his own.  The atonal genre has done much to make a good many people regard
anything composed in the past 80 years or so with the wariness of an
over-flogged pup who flinches upon seeing a raised hand.

>However, it brings to mind the need for more outreach.

Agreed on that.  We have featured works by living (although not atonal)
composers dozens of times over the past several years.  Our regulars have
long since ceased flinching, but initially the response was invariably one
of relief and pleasant surprise that works by living composers that
actually feature pleasant sounds would actually get played.

Jocelyn Wang
Culver Chamber Music Series