Chris Mullins:

>However, I would like to better understand the comment about "Bartok's
>humorless lead" as applies to criticism of the Seventh. I assume this
>is a reference to the parody in the Concerto for Orchestra. I happen to
>like both that parody AND the actual Seventh Symphony, so I'm comfortable
>with contradictions. I can't quite see how Bartok was "humorless,"
>however. Especially as the parody ends with one of the great orchestral
>raspberries. Maybe it is mean-spirited, but I see a wicked grin on
>Bartok's face as he composed this. And the contrast between this parody
>and the achingly beautiful melody that otherwise dominates that movement
>makes it one of favorite pieces of music.
>
>Am I reading either Bartok or Mr. Scwartz wrong?

I like both the Bartok and the Shostakovich myself.  However, the
Bartok parody of Shostakovich misses the point that the Shostakovich is
itself a parody.  Bartok doesn't get the joke, and apparently most of
the negative critics of the Seventh don't get it either.  Shostakovich
uses as a German "victory" march the song from Lehar's Merry Widow, "I'm
Going to Maxim's" (don't know what it is in German), an obvious reference
to the German occupation of France.

Steve Schwartz