Care to guess the composer?

piston · Post by **piston** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:29 pm

I don't know if it's difficult but it's nevertheless revealing of some of this composer's aesthetic standards. Care to guess? (I have taken the liberty to translate this excerpt from an interview in French. I hope I didn't butcher the original too much)

Composer XXX liked me but he thought I was somewhat amoral, that I did not follow his very strict moral codes. It’s like jazz! In his view, jazz was an absolute sin! One day, during one of our interviews, he immediately declared: “I wish to make a declaration! Some say that my music is sensual; it’s a calumny! It isn’t sensual, it is colorful!” He then proceeded to come down on prostitution, contraception, jazz, drugs, every amoral and immoral topic on his mind! According to him, jazz could only be created in places of perdition. He applied his moral code even to the opera. For example, he found Wozzeck a very interesting work but, in his view, the characters were rather bizarre. He hated Loulou as a work of absolute immorality! He held on to very rigid and antiquated moral codes. He found no interest in jazz because the rhythmic element was so important to him. Jazz rhythm was too basic or straightforward (“trop carree”); it lacked irregularity and irrationality. In other words, XXX knew absolutely nothing about jazz having probably only heard a couple of pieces by Ray Ventura…

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:32 pm

My guess is Messiaen

piston · Post by **piston** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:37 pm

Correct! I just got to get better at this game

For those who read French, the interview in question is very revealing about Messiaen, the man. He was extremely distrustful, by disposition, and essentially disconnected with the real world. You will find the whole text here:http://www.abeilleinfo.com/chronique.ph ... &langue=fr

The foundation Messiaen 2008 is laying the ground work for the centenary of his birth next year.

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:42 pm

Ok, without Googling it, who said this about Messiaen:

"Truly, he was my spiritual mentor... Among the many things I learned from his music, the concept and experience of color and the form of time will be unforgettable."

piston · Post by **piston** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:46 pm

Not Xenakis, who did not actually study with Messiaen (unless he were asserting here that it did not matter). My guess is Boulez.

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:47 pm

piston wrote:Not Xenakis, who did not actually study with Messiaen (unless he were asserting here that it did not matter). My guess is Boulez.

nope

piston · Post by **piston** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:49 pm

I give my tongue to the cat!

diegobueno · Post by **diegobueno** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:38 pm

Ironically, a lot of people criticize the 5th movement of Turangalila for indulging in vulgar jazz.

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:28 pm

diegobueno wrote:Ironically, a lot of people criticize the 5th movement of Turangalila for indulging in vulgar jazz.

Yes, poor Olivier I am sure was quite innocent of the possible associations

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:11 am

BWV 1080 wrote:Ok, without Googling it, who said this about Messiaen:

"Truly, he was my spiritual mentor... Among the many things I learned from his music, the concept and experience of color and the form of time will be unforgettable."

Glass

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 12:13 am

Corlyss_D wrote:
BWV 1080 wrote:Ok, without Googling it, who said this about Messiaen:

"Truly, he was my spiritual mentor... Among the many things I learned from his music, the concept and experience of color and the form of time will be unforgettable."
Glass

nope

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:33 am

Boulez?

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 7:37 am

not Boulez

piston · Post by **piston** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:01 am

I should have known!!! (Yes, I cheated)
Makes sense....

greymouse · Post by **greymouse** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:49 am

The first quote was pretty easy. I figured it was either Messiaen or Boulez, and Messiaen was more into the traditional morals.

The second one, I can't think of a great fit. I'll guess Cage though.

absinthe · Post by **absinthe** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:09 am

BWV 1080 wrote:not Boulez

Surprising. Looking at the title and quote it would explain why Boulez conducts Le Sacre du Printemps like he does - like a gentleman.

Ah well.....

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 2:55 pm

greymouse wrote:The first quote was pretty easy. I figured it was either Messiaen or Boulez, and Messiaen was more into the traditional morals.

The second one, I can't think of a great fit. I'll guess Cage though.

not Cage, although Cage was a big influence on the composer who made the quote

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 3:36 pm

Adams

hangos · Post by **hangos** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:20 pm

Is it (he's still alive,I think) Dutilleux?

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:03 pm

Not Dutilleux

Opus132 · Post by **Opus132** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:56 pm

George Benjamin?

Opus132 · Post by **Opus132** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:59 pm

BWV 1080 · Post by **BWV 1080** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:17 pm

Opus132 wrote:George Benjamin?

No

This is not that hard. Think of composers with a significant and audible Messiaen influence

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