Day 179: Contemporary music
36yearsago.com
Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing &
friends.
Day
179 — Contemporary music
28-January-1972
(Freitag–Fri.)
TRANSCRIPT
Saw a concert at night with three works played.
Generally, I think his works have something. But I am
not terrifically turned on by all of his music (like
so much of cont. music) – either I’m missing
something or he’s missing something. One piece had
tape with orchestra – was sort of a disappointment of
what he did with the tape, was not indicative of what
electronic music can do.
REFLECTIONS
Opinionated
youth. Here I go
again, being somewhat critical of some things in a
concert. Probably my youth showing again. I need that
Time Machine Tape Recorder from yesterday. Most of
the people I may offer a slight criticism of are
very, very highly regarded professionals, performers
and composers. I think that in this journal, as a
young dude, I may just be expressing stylistic
differences as to what I think might be different.
If people heard my music, they would probably tear it
apart much more so.
I generally like almost everything I listen to. There
are pop music exceptions.
Contemporary
music criticism. I believe
that, as a young student, I was generally overly
critical of contemporary music pieces and concerts.
Why? Contemporary music is hard to listen to, and
much harder to understand and analyze. Thus, a lot of
non-tonal based music, or experimental music, is
serious, difficult music that requires some serious
understanding and study. On a surface level, much
contemporary music begins to sound similar due to the
fact that you don’t have melodies and harmonies to
latch on to. That is probably my youthful view on
these things. The same is true of electronic music.
I really like contemporary music. I actually
really like contemporary music, whereas the general
public doesn’t. Thus, don’t take any of my criticisms
as being serious. Take them as being youthful.
John
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