LUKE GULLICKSON

Live/dead

12/16/2010

 
It was a normal dinner conversation between musicians.  I casually mentioned my abhorrence of the Banff Centre's muzak policies; a reasonable complaint given the contiguity, say, at the coffee shop, of Kenny G Christmas with Madonna's "Like a Prayer."

One building on campus even has music piped into the restrooms, set to activate with the lights when someone enters.  The other day they were playing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto in there.

I think we can all agree that that is outrageous.

One of the composers at the table, following my comment, described a bathroom concert a teacher of his had been involved with.  Another musician has a colleague staging a swimming pool concert, complete with synchronized swimmers.  I mentioned a friend who has played on a coat-room music series.

We have all of this, and yet when I went on long runs in Austin I was pleasantly surprised to see dudes unceremoniously playing guitars in their front yards.

We tried to be revolutionary by removing music from the concert hall, and yet now it's more provocative and unusual to have live music on one's own porch.  Taking music to unexpected spaces has not altered contemporary attitudes about music-making and where it belongs.

Spectating is no longer radical, no matter where you place it.  It's genuine participation in music that has become rare, "experimental" when it occurs.

We've got music everywhere these days and music-making nowhere.  Everyone has music piped into their "living" room, but when was the last time you had "live" music there?

Not so long ago all music was live music, just like all music was new music until around the time Mendelssohn revived Bach's St Matthew Passion.  The opposite of "new" music should be "old" music, but now benchmark experimental works from decades ago are still referred to as "new music."  The opposite of live music, I suppose, is recorded music -- but when I hear disembodied background sounds, even if they're unfortunately situated works by a great like Beethoven, that's not just recorded music.  That's really the opposite of live music.  That's dead music.

Madelyn R George link
12/18/2010 03:50:53 am

Just started browsing your website cause an old musician friend of mine is looking for someone who could play jazz piano. Now that I've read this blog entry I can't stop thinking how great it would be if bathrooms had sing along soundtracks.


Comments are closed.

    A Selection

    • Gone Walkabout
    • Migration
    • Music as Drama
    • Crossroads II
    • 10 Best of 2014
    • January: Wyoming and the Open
    • ​February: New Mexico and the Holes
    • Coming Up
    • Notes on The Accounts
    • Crossroad Blues
    • Labyrinths

    Archives

    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    September 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010

    RSS Feed