John Smyth wrote:

>What will give the artists and peoples of our age, robbed of our gods and
>monsters by science and history, and borne of an era that at least tries
>to distance itself from what I think are the artistically motivating, yet
>dangerous qualities like ethnocentrism and egocentrism; the will and
>determination to create like those in the past?

That's a good body of questions, and I don't see any easy answers.  I
am relatively optimistic concerning the creative process in music for
the current time period and the future, because I think that creative
individuals find the inspiration they need from wherever they can get it.
Assuming that past composers got much of their inspiration from the theme
of an "almighty" does not mean that other sources of inspiration can not be
tapped.

Also, science and history have not erased disasters, confusion, ignorance,
etc.  In some cases science has brought to the "front line" additional
monsters that need to be reckoned with.  I think there's plenty going
on now and will in the future to engage the mind of creative folks.  An
example is cloning; this process and its implications for relationships,
moral/ethical considerations, and the make-up of the human race was not
available for past composers to find inspiration from.  But, it's available
now.  If I could write music worth a damn, I would find cloning an abundant
source of inspiration.

Do we want composers to create as in the past? You can't go home again; the
past is gone.  Creativity will continue to bloom, but it will evolve from
different points than in the past.  That's one of the factors that keeps us
life-affirming:  the uncertainty of the future.

Don Satz
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