Dave Lampson wrote: >The term "Kronos-phobe" implies an irrational fear, and is simply >inappropriate in a context where rational, thoughtful reasons are being >given for disliking the work of these musicians. Sorry for the poor choice of word -- I didn't mean anything particular by it, just "people who get very hot under the collar when expressing their dislike of this particular group," with a slight suggestion of puzzlement as to why four people whose bag is sawing on string instruments strike so many people as heralding the Decline of the West. But then again, CM is a topic which, as we often see, excites strong passions for and against. >What they lack, however, could fill volumes. Their tone is harsh, even >when it's clear it shouldn't be (I'm aware of the special requirements >of some of their repertoire). Their blend and ensemble playing is a >shambles. That they generally avoid the competitive repertoire (ex., >Bartok, Shostakovich, etc.) is wise for I am convinced it would soon become >clear they play at the level of, at best, a mediocre amateur ensemble. I'm ashamed to say that my ears are probably totally unfit for judging the quality of string playing. I confess to being an ignorant boor in this area, and hereby abase my self in the dust. But still, quivering with fear, I beg leave to mumble that, to me, they sound at least as good as any other professional quartet -- they manage to keep together well enough, and I don't hear anything egregiously inferior in their tone. I think they do quite a good job on Adams' "John's Book of Alleged Dances," a delightful suite (Nonesuch 79465-2). This kind of attack on their technical abilities seems to me greatly exaggerated, but I suppose that those who really understand string quartets will disagree. >And all of this is true independent of the fact that their choice of >repertoire is horrific. > >Now, I'm not saying this repertoire shouldn't be heard ... Why not, if it's horrific? (And I don't see how that applies, for example, to "John's Book," a rather sweet collection of tidbits.) I continue to maintain that the main reason so many people dislke this group so strongly is that they have a visceral reaction against the kinds of stuff the Kronos likes to play. So in that case, why not just say "it's not my cup of tea," shrug your shoulders, and leave them strictly alone? >It's just that it appears to me that Kronos' main appeal is they will play >music few others would touch. Not really true, I think. They are noted for pioneering "Black Angel," but it has been done by others as well. And the genre of CM transcriptions of rock is fairly well established. Certainly, I can take rock in this dress much better than in its original form. "Pieces of Africa," which I find quite interesting, was a sort of pioneer venture in the area of CM + "world music," which is doing quite well these days. All in all, I take them quite seriously as musicians, and don't really understand why nearly everyone else sees them as clowns. It's like a reverse Emperor's New Clothes; everyone else can see they are naked, and only I can see the threads. Could someone explain what is wrong with me? I'm beginning to doubt my sanity! Dave used a term which strikes me more and more curioser as I think about it: "competitive repertoire." I guess this is another one of my personal quirks, certainly not shared by the majority of posters to the list, but I don't like to think of art, and especially music, as a competitive enterprise, like sports or business. To me, it is the realm of individual imagination, above all else. And that goes not only for composition but also for performance. Every performance, if it is not a robotic, "phoned-in" one, is an expression of the performer's vision, at that particular moment, of how that piece should sound. It will, of course, appeal to some listeners more than to others, but in a sense that is irrelevant to what music is really about: a musician must first of all please herself or himself, and one "competes" with oneself, if at all. Of course, there are plenty of incompetent performers around who butcher Beethoven and maul Mozart, but why waste your energy landing on them like a ton of bricks? Seek out the musical experiences that inspire and delight you, and forget about the rest. Life is just to short for all this mean-spirited chatter. I get rather disheartened sometimes, looking through the many posts on this list in which people fiercely duel over whose performance of work X is "best." To me, this is all beside the point. But I suppose I am just getting old and tired, and don't have the stamina to cut the mustard in this particular sport. There -- got that off my chest, and I feel much better now. Jon Johanning // [log in to unmask]