This razor is best kept whetted and gleaming. Its purpose is to distinguish positive modern art from the mere performance of art criticism. Mute music and disordered strings fall to the right, joining "language poetry" and other uncertain gifts of the past century.
What falls leftward-positive modern art-tends to ascension, even sublimity. What falls rightward, thuds.
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The probelm here is one of definition. Some people find modern music 'difficult.' But we have always had music that... [MORE]
kevin o connell
Oct 29, 2007 06:58
I would definitely read this book. Neither a musician nor critic, I just enjoy a wide range of music with... [MORE]
Morgan Sheridan
Oct 1, 2007 23:02
If Adam Kirsch dislikes modern and contemporary music, that is certainly his right. But conservative taste should not simply be... [MORE]
Reginald Shepherd
Oct 1, 2007 20:19
Interesting article,but I do not agree with the statement that the classical canon is"essentially closed"
In fact,new works by... [MORE]
robert berger
Sep 29, 2007 11:56
As a very common man -nearly a nonogenarian - soon to step out of this wonderful experience of life ,I... [MORE]
Patrick Crowe
Sep 28, 2007 00:28
I'll take a look at Ross' book, but based on this review I'm not very optimistic. His apparently non-judgmental approach... [MORE]
Lester Hunt
Sep 27, 2007 15:16
Neither is scoring for 50 strings individually, which would strike some composers as being both purposeful and meaningful. Otherwise, why... [MORE]
James Keepnews
Sep 27, 2007 11:21
Mr Keepnews' bilious response to a generous review of a generous book is a reminder of how and why the... [MORE]
Bruce Williams
Sep 27, 2007 23:56
This razor is best kept whetted and gleaming. Its purpose is to distinguish positive modern art from the mere performance...
Todd Jackson
Sep 30, 2007 13:05
I have precisely zero interest in what Boulez said fifty years ago, much less serialism, towards which I suppose it... [MORE]