[silence] Petr Kotik's Umbilical Cord

[Joseph Zitt]

On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 5:28 PM, Glenn Freeman <glenn@ogreogress.com> wrote:
> Joseph Zitt wrote:
>
>>> No assumptions. Do you believe it possible for others to perform the work
>>> without having asked such a question?
>>
>> To perform the work? Yes. To perform the work well is another question.
>
> OK, and what authority figure will decide what is well and what is not?

Authority figure?

>
>>>> There is a wide spectrum between assuming that the study of the
>>>> composer's practice is essential to the work (as I understand Petr's
>>>> position) and assuming that it is irrelevant (as I understand
>>>> Glenn's).
>>>
>>> Perhaps you misunderstood.
>>
>> Perhaps I did. Could you explain?
>
> I never said irrelevant, I said not required.

So then you agree that the statements outside the score can have a
beneficial effect on performance. How would you revise your previous
remarks to make them consistent with this?

>
>> If, as you state, the "note record" contains all the information
>> required, what relevance would you see in the study of a composer's
>> practice outside of the marks on the page?
>
> I never said irrelevant, I said not required.
>
>>>> What is this "premature death or corruption of a tradition"? Could you
>>>> provide an example?
>>>
>>> The Symphony Orchestra as a genre.
>>
>> In what sense?
>
> Current orchestral programming is the result of such corruption. The
> orchestra as a genre/tradition has suffered a premature death because of a
> corrupted programming tradition, not due to a lack of great new works. It
> has killed itself mainly due to authority figures (conductors, composers,
> etc.) latching on to lineages, oral traditions and nostalgia. This is why I
> want to hear the Berlin Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony to perform
> Cage's Number Pieces.

Have you heard of the stories of the attempts by major orchestras to
perform Cage's works in his presence during his lifetime? You might
find them enlightening.

>
> In this sense, Petr Kotik is to be highly respected.



>
> Glenn Freeman
> OgreOgress productions
> http://ogreogress.com
>