I wrote:

>>Now to commit sacrilige.  Although I love Bruckner and Mahler I wish their
>>symphonies weren't of such titantic proportions.  It really is asking a
>>bit much for someone to concentrate through 75 minutes worth of non-stop
>>music.  Sibelius got it about right.

I thought this seemed innoccuous enough but John Smyth replies:

>I wish they were longer.  To think that the 10th might have been finished
>if Mahler hadn't exhasted himself arguing with old ladies on the board of
>the NY Phil against programming the umpteenth performance of "Finlandia."
>(A statement based slightly on historical fact--they wanted more Beethoven
>overtures)
>
>First Mozart is *zero emotional* and now Bruckner and Mahler--too long? (I
>should remind you that I am not the kind of person who stands on the backs
>of these composers in order to scale the walls of ivory towers--I sorted
>through this stuff in the library of a military base by myself in an
>isolated town of 14,000 at the age of 14-17)

I don't fully understand this but I'll try.  As usual when someone makes
a post that someone else doesn't like they ignore the nice things in the
message.  In this case you disregarded the bit where I said I loved Mahler
and Bruckner.

Also, as usual I find myself being pilloried for things that have been said
many times before.  Didn't Mahler and Sibelius have a discourse about the
structure and proportions of the symphony?

Regarding the Mozart I was giving my support to another poster as others
did.  So, clearly here I am not alone, also.

When you say you sorted through the library of a military base I assume
that was the record collection you refer to.  This is commendable.  I,
therefore, take the point that you have listened to a lot of music and
accept that you feel that this gives your opinions some weight.

However here we come to an example of a paradigm.  What you saw in
the library was what was there.  Obvious isn't it.  But what was there
reflected someone's view of what should be there; which composers, what
works, how much.  The librarian's views came from somewhere.  This is the
meaning of paradigm.

>Are you *sure* you're really "gettin" this stuff?

You'll have to explain this to me John. Are you getting my message?

>John Smyth
>Challenging Bob Draper

To the uninitiated this refers to my logo "Challenging Music's Paradigms".
Those who support paradigms live in "Ivory Towers" those who challenge them
pull said towers down.

I welcome the challenge from John or whoever.  I believe that conventions
should be debated.  The debate will require protagonists and antagonists.

(I will be writing a posting on a fuller meaning of paradigms soon)

Bob Draper
(Still) Challenging Music's Paradigms
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