MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
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MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
The once-excellent classical music service of Minnesota Public Radio has found a new misuse of the airwaves: it has been playing almost exclusively Christmas music, beginning sometime on Thanksgiving weekend. Many of these works push emotional buttons, and it's just wrong to use them this way. Certain works should be saved for the true Christmas season, which doesn't start for a couple of weeks at least. So I'm staying away from the station this month.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Is it Christmas music, or Christmas muzak?
There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
It's good music. At its most legitimate, they're playing things like Bach's Advent cantatas. But much of it is the the kind of choral or orchestral music that's almost too evocative for this early in the season. And even if it's appropriate to play a few of these each day, it makes no sense to play nothing BUT Christmas music.jbuck919 wrote:Is it Christmas music, or Christmas muzak?
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
It seems that once Thanksgiving ends the Christmas music begins. Last weekend at the store I heard a big band arrangement of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. It was somewhat interesting, more so than the other Christmas tunes that played during my time in the store.
Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Depends on what you think the Christmas season is. The Christian churches define it as Advent, don't they? Which begins with Advent Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day - this year it's December 2. So perhaps Minnesota Public Radio jumped the gun, but not by all that much.ChrisBrewster wrote:Certain works should be saved for the true Christmas season, which doesn't start for a couple of weeks at least. So I'm staying away from the station this month.
More to the point, I should think, is that many in its audience aren't Christians and don't celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, if at all. People like me and my family. For us it's merely a good excuse to get together, exchange gifts, and party. But that doesn't prevent me from appreciating the best Christmas music, which I enjoy hearing at any time of the year.
John Francis
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Still by four weeks, a great deal. Advent is (traditionally) a season of penitence to prepare for Christmas -- it is not the season of celebrating the Nativity.John F wrote:Depends on what you think the Christmas season is. The Christian churches define it as Advent, don't they? Which begins with Advent Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day - this year it's December 2. So perhaps Minnesota Public Radio jumped the gun, but not by all that much.ChrisBrewster wrote:Certain works should be saved for the true Christmas season, which doesn't start for a couple of weeks at least. So I'm staying away from the station this month.
At least, where MPR was playing a Bach Advent Cantata (and he must have written about 12, as he wrote three cycles, yes? and there are four Sundays of Advent), they are in line (so to speak).
I'm entirely with Chris in principle. Two of our presets on the car radio started playing Christmas music in November, and they are dead to us until New Year's.
Possibly until February.
Cheers,
~Karl
Karl Henning, PhD
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Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Slight correction: The First Sunday of Advent was last Sunday, November 28 (which actually makes it even more reasonable to start Christmas music early by that criterion). Church organists can't help noticing these things.John F wrote:Depends on what you think the Christmas season is. The Christian churches define it as Advent, don't they? Which begins with Advent Sunday, the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day - this year it's December 2.ChrisBrewster wrote:Certain works should be saved for the true Christmas season, which doesn't start for a couple of weeks at least. So I'm staying away from the station this month.

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Tangentially, John . . . have you ever had occasion to play Tallis's keyboard variations on Felix namque?jbuck919 wrote:Slight correction: The First Sunday of Advent was last Sunday, November 28 (which actually makes it even more reasonable to start Christmas music early by that criterion). Church organists can't help noticing these things. :)
Cheers,
~Karl
Karl Henning, PhD
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston, Massachusetts
http://members.tripod.com/~Karl_P_Henning/
http://henningmusick.blogspot.com/
Published by Lux Nova Press
http://www.luxnova.com/
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
All Christmas music is too much. For one thing, a significant portion of the classical music audience does not celebrate Christmas as a specifically religious holiday. (I have no objection, however, to playing the Bach Advent cantatas or his Christmas Oratorio, the Messiah, Hector Berlioz's "L'Enfance du Christ," or many other Christmas-oriented works by major composers; I may not share the theology, but I can accept the quality of the music.)
However, even if you do play Christmas music, one should be careful to avoid works that, for one reason or other, would be offensive to non-Christians. A horrible example is the carol "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day," played yesterday by KUSC-FM in Los Angeles in the version recorded by John Rutter. The lyrics of that carol include the following:
However, even if you do play Christmas music, one should be careful to avoid works that, for one reason or other, would be offensive to non-Christians. A horrible example is the carol "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day," played yesterday by KUSC-FM in Los Angeles in the version recorded by John Rutter. The lyrics of that carol include the following:
Do we really need to play carols that recite the old calumny about the Jews being Christ-killers to a radio audience that undoubtedly includes a significant proportion of Jews? (Los Angeles has the second largest Jewish community in the United States after New York.) I intend to send in a protest to KUSC tomorrow.The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance.
Chorus
For thirty pence Judas me sold,
His covetousness for to advance:
Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold!
The same is he shall lead the dance.
Chorus
Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
Where Barabbas had deliverance;
They scourged me and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Forgive them, for they no not what they do...you're expecting a lot for a Radio Station to check the Lyrics of every Xmas Carol and remove the awkward ones, why not send them a list of all the ones they should not play, that may actually work...Modernistfan wrote: Do we really need to play carols that recite the old calumny about the Jews being Christ-killers to a radio audience that undoubtedly includes a significant proportion of Jews? (Los Angeles has the second largest Jewish community in the United States after New York.) I intend to send in a protest to KUSC tomorrow.
I say that because in 1978 I visited CHUM FM in Toronto with my friend Elvis Costello who was being interviewed on Air, I was shocked to see a list of Banned Records on a big Chalkboard (no relation), it was in the days of Vinyl and the DJ had to be trusted to not Broadcast a "banned" song...I saw that Free Form Guitar by Chicago (pure feedback for 7 minutes) was not listed on the big board so I requested it and they played it, it was in the days of Punk, we did stuff like that then...

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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Because of the irregular meter of the text (different number of syllables in corresponding lines from verse to verse) and the slightly melismatic quality of the tune, it would be possible to resolve the situation by making some changes along the following lines (such things are done all the time):Modernistfan wrote:The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance.
For thirty pence Judas me sold,
His covetousness for to advance:
Mark whom I kiss, the same do hold!
The same is he shall lead the dance.
Before Pilate the Jews me brought,
Where Barabbas had deliverance;
They scourged me and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance.
Do we really need to play carols that recite the old calumny about the Jews being Christ-killers to a radio audience that undoubtedly includes a significant proportion of Jews? (Los Angeles has the second largest Jewish community in the United States after New York.) I intend to send in a protest to KUSC tomorrow.
The Sanhedrin on me made great suit
[rest of verse the same]
[the Judas verse does not contain a reproach of the Jews]
To Pilate Caiaphas had me brought.
Where Barabbas had deliverance;
He had me scourged and set me at nought,
Judged me to die to lead the dance.
Perhaps you also need to write to some publishers. My royalties if any would be after a standard contract.

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach
Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Are those words actually in Rutter's setting? I haven't heard his recording, but this performance of the piece doesn't include them.Modernistfan wrote:A horrible example is the carol "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day," played yesterday by KUSC-FM in Los Angeles in the version recorded by John Rutter. The lyrics of that carol include the following:The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance. [etc.]
John Francis
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
German radio stations used to play (25 years ago!) primarily the church hymns and German "caroles" (like "O, Tannenbaum"), now they've become Americanized and play both English and American Christmas songs as well (e.g., "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman"). Fortunately, they don't overdo it----except at public Christmas festivals.
Our classical stations will still offer cantatas, oratorios, masses, etc. without overdoing it.
We're happy with that!
P.S.: One of the most beloved of all songs at Christmas here is "Tochter Zion", the melody of which was lifted directly and unchanged from Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" ("See, the conquering hero come!").
Tschüß,
Jack
Our classical stations will still offer cantatas, oratorios, masses, etc. without overdoing it.
We're happy with that!
P.S.: One of the most beloved of all songs at Christmas here is "Tochter Zion", the melody of which was lifted directly and unchanged from Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" ("See, the conquering hero come!").
Tschüß,
Jack
"Schumann's our music-maker now." ---Robert Browning
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
It is found in some American hymnals as the general-purpose hymn "Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son." The tune name is "Judas Maccabeus" (of course).Jack Kelso wrote: P.S.: One of the most beloved of all songs at Christmas here is "Tochter Zion", the melody of which was lifted directly and unchanged from Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" ("See, the conquering hero come!").
There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Today I was on a combination med-appointment/shopping-trip with my father and sister, being buckled very tightly in the back seat while Denver's "cozy" pop FM station--which is 100% holiday fare these days--played us four hours' worth of "suitable" Christmas songs. Congratulate me on my survival.jbuck919 wrote:It is found in some American hymnals as the general-purpose hymn "Thine be the glory, risen conquering Son." The tune name is "Judas Maccabeus" (of course).Jack Kelso wrote: P.S.: One of the most beloved of all songs at Christmas here is "Tochter Zion", the melody of which was lifted directly and unchanged from Handel's "Judas Maccabaeus" ("See, the conquering hero come!").
Good music is that which falls upon the ear with ease, and quits the memory with difficulty.
--Sir Thomas Beecham
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
But one just can't resist tuning back in for A PHCChrisBrewster wrote:The once-excellent classical music service of Minnesota Public Radio has found a new misuse of the airwaves: it has been playing almost exclusively Christmas music, beginning sometime on Thanksgiving weekend. Many of these works push emotional buttons, and it's just wrong to use them this way. Certain works should be saved for the true Christmas season, which doesn't start for a couple of weeks at least. So I'm staying away from the station this month.


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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
I am certain that Rutter would have removed the offending text upon hearing the first complaint about it. All of my experience with Rutter's compositions* convinces me that Rutter's greatest fear in life is that of offending someone. Anyone. Anywhere.John F wrote:Are those words actually in Rutter's setting? I haven't heard his recording, but this performance of the piece doesn't include them.Modernistfan wrote:A horrible example is the carol "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day," played yesterday by KUSC-FM in Los Angeles in the version recorded by John Rutter. The lyrics of that carol include the following:The Jews on me they made great suit,
And with me made great variance,
Because they loved darkness rather than light,
To call my true love to my dance. [etc.]
* Yes, I am performing Rutter's Magnificat not just once, but twice this month, with two different groups at two different veunues!
Black lives matter.
Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
I don't know the back story of this piece, and I don't suppose you do either, but I'm absolutely certain that Rutter, born in 1945, needed no one to tell him that the antisemitic verse is hideous in itself and completely unsuited to his purpose of composing a modern Christmas carol! Why do you suppose otherwise?diegobueno wrote:I am certain that Rutter would have removed the offending text upon hearing the first complaint about it. All of my experience with Rutter's compositions* convinces me that Rutter's greatest fear in life is that of offending someone. Anyone. Anywhere.
John Francis
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
I don't suppose anything. First of all, I just wanted to insert a snarky comment on Rutter's obsessive pursuit of "niceness" in his music. I'm just saying one could imagine a scenario where he sets out to arrange an old carol and says to himself "gee I think I'll use the authentic original words" and it gets performed and recorded and lo and behold someone complains "hey, this is antisemitic!", so he makes another version without the antisemitic verses and that gets performed and put on Youtube.John F wrote:I don't know the back story of this piece, and I don't suppose you do either, but I'm absolutely certain that Rutter, born in 1945, needed no one to tell him that the antisemitic verse is hideous in itself and completely unsuited to his purpose of composing a modern Christmas carol! Why do you suppose otherwise?diegobueno wrote:I am certain that Rutter would have removed the offending text upon hearing the first complaint about it. All of my experience with Rutter's compositions* convinces me that Rutter's greatest fear in life is that of offending someone. Anyone. Anywhere.
The other possibility is that the arrangement Modernistfan heard on the radio was not the one by Rutter, though they also played a number of carols that were Rutter arrangements.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
One time Rutter visited here (Mn) and was given lots of airtime, both for his music and for interviews. He discussed his music with the serious air of a legitimate composer, but his music is embarrassingly bad. The hints of Andrew Lloyd Webber that I had noticed in Rutter's Requiem didn't nearly prepare me for the horrible, Hallmark/Disney style of his other music. It's not fit for a kids' show.diegobueno wrote:I am certain that Rutter would have removed the offending text upon hearing the first complaint about it. All of my experience with Rutter's compositions* convinces me that Rutter's greatest fear in life is that of offending someone. Anyone. Anywhere. ...
... I just wanted to insert a snarky comment on Rutter's obsessive pursuit of "niceness" in his music. ...
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Rutter is like Stephen King. Not to be taken seriously, but I wish I had his money.ChrisBrewster wrote: One time Rutter visited here (Mn) and was given lots of airtime, both for his music and for interviews. He discussed his music with the serious air of a legitimate composer, but his music is embarrassingly bad. The hints of Andrew Lloyd Webber that I had noticed in Rutter's Requiem didn't nearly prepare me for the horrible, Hallmark/Disney style of his other music. It's not fit for a kids' show.

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach
Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Well, if you really must.diegobueno wrote:I just wanted to insert a snarky comment on Rutter's obsessive pursuit of "niceness" in his music.
Does the recording you mention actually include the offensive verses? If not, then "one" can't imagine that scenario.diegobueno wrote:I'm just saying one could imagine a scenario where he sets out to arrange an old carol and says to himself "gee I think I'll use the authentic original words" and it gets performed and recorded and lo and behold someone complains "hey, this is antisemitic!", so he makes another version without the antisemitic verses and that gets performed and put on Youtube.
As for Rutter being a bad composer, maybe so. I haven't heard any of his music other than the carol. I rather liked it, actually.
John Francis
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
What I can't imagine is why you're so fricking worked up about this. What's your problem anyway?John F wrote: Does the recording you mention actually include the offensive verses? If not, then "one" can't imagine that scenario.
I haven't slightest idea whether the recording has the offensive verses. All I know is that Modernistfan said he heard something on the radio and he said it was a Rutter arrangement. He may be mistaken in that, so hold your fire until he comes back with some verification.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
"The carol?" Well, we already knew you weren't a church musician, John.John F wrote:As for Rutter being a bad composer, maybe so. I haven't heard any of his music other than the carol. I rather liked it, actually.

Extremely partial list of carols written or set by John Rutter:
* Shepherd's Pipe Carol
* The Holly and the Ivy
* Nativity Carol
* Coventry Carol
* Christmas Lullaby
* Donkey Carol
* Carol of the Magi
* Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day
* Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant (He is Born the Divine Child)
* Personent Hodie
* The Wexford Carol
* Star Carol
*Candlelight Carol
There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Rutter is at least competent. He knows how to write for voices and he orchestrates well. He has a pleasant sense of melody; the Esuriente from his Magnificat is quite lovely, actually. If he were American he would have found a secure place in Hollywood as a rival to John Williams. Being in England, where choral singing is big, he found his niche producing choral music that can be performed effectively by amateur choral societies. He's a professional at what he does, and I have to admire his craftsmanship. His music just has this milquetoast personality that gets wearying in large doses. The Magnificat, running about 45 minutes, is a very big dose of milquetoast.ChrisBrewster wrote: One time Rutter visited here (Mn) and was given lots of airtime, both for his music and for interviews. He discussed his music with the serious air of a legitimate composer, but his music is embarrassingly bad. The hints of Andrew Lloyd Webber that I had noticed in Rutter's Requiem didn't nearly prepare me for the horrible, Hallmark/Disney style of his other music. It's not fit for a kids' show.
You know, there's nothing wrong with the music they put on those "The most relaxing classical music disc you'll ever own" CDs. It's just their placement together on the same disc that appalls, along with the notion, apparently held by the marketing people, that the main function of classical music is to be relaxing. Rutter's music all sounds like it was intended for a disc of "the most relaxing sacred choral music you'll ever hear", and that's why it bothers me.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
The Library of Congress Chorale (which I'm singing in) is doing his arrangement of the 12 Days of Christmas.jbuck919 wrote: Extremely partial list of carols written or set by John Rutter:
* Shepherd's Pipe Carol
* The Holly and the Ivy
* Nativity Carol... etc.
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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
Perfect summation.diegobueno wrote: Rutter is at least competent. He knows how to write for voices and he orchestrates well. He has a pleasant sense of melody... he found his niche producing choral music that can be performed effectively by amateur choral societies. He's a professional at what he does, and I have to admire his craftsmanship.

Ladies and gents of the jury. Have you reached your verdict?
Yes, we have your Honor. On the count of Rutter being accused of being a bad composer, we find him innocent but on the count of Rutter not being a great composer we find him guilty as charged.

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Re: MPR's latest abuse of music: ruining Christmas
I just wish he would just stop Composing...i'd willingly pay him to do that by sending him a check for 3CD's per year...jbuck919 wrote:Rutter is like Stephen King. Not to be taken seriously, but I wish I had his money.ChrisBrewster wrote: One time Rutter visited here (Mn) and was given lots of airtime, both for his music and for interviews. He discussed his music with the serious air of a legitimate composer, but his music is embarrassingly bad. The hints of Andrew Lloyd Webber that I had noticed in Rutter's Requiem didn't nearly prepare me for the horrible, Hallmark/Disney style of his other music. It's not fit for a kids' show.

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