Sequenza21/The Contemporary Classical Music Weekly

Is Blogging Writing?

The sad little secret of the blogosphere is that most bloggers are not good writers. In some cases, that is okay because the writer has something interesting to say and that makes up for the lack of finesse in presentation. Alex Ross is a great writer on music, which is why he gets the big bucks. Kyle Gann and Frank Oteri are composers who are also outstanding writers. Aside from the pros, though, who's good? This morning I went over to Bloglines and read through all the music blogs on my list looking for wit and grace and came up with some splendid stylings:

Pianist Jeremy Denk's Think Denk:

Unless I am running for my train, I find it difficult or impossible to pass through Penn Station without getting a Red Sicilian slice at Rosa's Pizza. It appears to be an unruly sea of roiling tomato sauce barely adhering to a thick chunk of bread, but some cheesy, salty secret lies hidden, baked in the redness. How did the tomato find such luxuriant and wonderful friends, and why are they all in my mouth at the same time?

Heather Heise's In the Wings:

The other night I couldn't sleep. Restless, fidgety, nervous, I watched the glowing digits of the clock fade from one hour into the next: 12:11. 1:20. 2:33. 3:13. At four a.m. I threw the covers aside, wondered if insomnia could get any more ridiculous, and then, chilled, pulled the blankets up to my chin again. I couldn't sleep because I needed to know: did Anton Webern have a sense of humor? If I invited him over for dinner, if I cooked him lentils with tarragon, and if we opened that bottle of wine I've been saving, would he laugh? Would Anton joke around with me? Could the man who wrote the curse of my very existence counter his analytic seriousness with wit and wry humor? Or was he just, cerebrally, mean?

Randy Nordshow, NewMusicBox:

It's hard to find like-minded musicians to work with. But when you crossover into other disciplines, compatibility seems to get even scarcer. I recently attended an event designed to spark new collaborations between composers and choreographers. Beyond the initial language barrier encountered in describing these two disparate art forms, I discovered another little snag: I compose music that doesn't concern itself with rhythm. Turns out that for the most part, dancers and choreographers are heavy into that stuff.

Helen Radice, Twang Twang Twang:

One thing, though, overwhelmingly characterises British music-making: amateurs. Throughout our green & pleasant land choral societies gather every saturday to warble through everything from the Vesperae de Confessore to (oh God) Elijah. In the manner of the muddy field gig, most professional instrumentalists sooner or later also find themselves driving to a country church to bung the band together.

posted by Jerry Bowles 4/08/2006