Wiardgroup

Chris wrote:

>This was Johnm's quote:

>>It's like seeing a fine painting by David or Ingres vs. dog crap 
thrown at a canvas. Progress ebbs and flows, and the 20th Century in 
many ways has been an artistic Dark Age as sure as the 11th Century 
was a scientific Dark Age.<<

>I guess you'll come back at me with 'in many ways' being your get 
out clause,<


Yes.

> but taken on face value this statement demonstrates a certain
prejudice that just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.<


No.

>Apart from my previous two examples, we have Steve Reich and Phillip 
Glass, both of whom have achieved a certain pop star status.<

Glass doesn't deserve it. "Rinse, repeat..."  Ugh!

>English contemporary music has a strong melodic tradition, 
exemplified by Benjamin Britten,<

Yes!

>William Walton<

Yes!

>and Ralph Vaughan Williams.<

YES!

>If you still say the 20th century was an artistic dark age, can I 
point you towards the orchestral works by George Gershwin,<

Yes!  (Though a tad overrated)

> or should I point out that Prokofiev died in 1953 and Stravinsky in 
1971.<

Two dates to mourn!


>It seems to me that John is arguing from a viewpoint of the 
60's/70's music scene,<

Oh, Chris--not true!

> hence the constant reference to 'Switched on Bach'.<

It is used only as a frame of reference.  The Well Tempered 
Synthesizer was even better. And there were other albums, not all by 
Carlos.

>It doesn't matter to me what the musicians of that era used their 
Buchla's for. I say they are as valid a mainstream melodic instrument 
as any Moog.<

Obviously not.  This will enrage some people, but the Buchla is just 
a musical footnote.  Outside of a very small circle, it's virtually 
unknown.

>I'm primarily a drummer.<

Well now.  THAT explains things!  :-)

johnm