Making it matter

I originally started this post to write about what I was going to do to make Nebadon come off successfully as a great performance of a piece of music. The hope of that post was to draw some very obvious parallels between ANY style of music. About those certain things that we as performers need to do to make a works performance successful, be it Bach, Mozart, Stockhausen, or Globakar. Since, in my opinion at least there are certain elements that need to happen to make a performance great.

Now, here is where that post went off a rail... I agree with everything I just wrote or else why would I put it on the internet. What I started thinking about though was the big that question we as performers are faced with (or should be in my opinion). That is the big WHY. What is it about whatever piece of music you chose to present to the world that makes it special, that makes it unique and worth sharing. Yes we all have different tastes. I can say in total certainty (I’d bet all my Star Wars cards, even the Fett man on this) that there are more people turned off by new music than on. This presented me with an interesting question, it is one that I have faced before but as time goes on more clarity comes from it. It is this, how do I make this matter? In the grand scheme of things, for music, and its place/role in society how do we keep value in music. At the same time how do we keep pushing the barriers of imagination, of sound, of possibility. I love Brahms as much as the next person but that isn’t the end of the road, it is a point on the journey.

As you can tell this post is very much of me working it out with myself. Though, it is also an invitation for dialogue about the subject matter. I would love to hear from people who don’t like new music (and are willing to discuss it, not just call it stupid sounds and dumb composers… since, I am sorry if this is your attitude you need to grow up) about what is it missing for you.

I don’t have answers to all the above. I have ideas, lots of them. I know why this music matters to me (as does all music) I think one challenge we face, especially those of us who spend a great deal of time in the “new music” world is not only reaching out to others, but inviting them to reach back.

Maybe next time I will talk about Stockhausen…