Music, Modernism, And the Twilight of the Elites _ Jacobin

11.3.2015 Music,Modernism,andtheTwilightoftheElites|Jacobin

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2012/04/musicmodernismandthetwilightoftheelites/ 1/15

Music,Modernism,andtheTwilightoftheElites

by John Halle

By now it is becoming hard to remember that,

at the peak of its popularity and influence,

classical music carried with it an undeniable

intellectual and even moral authority, qualities

which would rub off on composers and

performers such as Aaron Copland, Leonard

Bernstein, Albert Schweitzer, Pierre Boulez,

Van Cliburn and Igor Stravinsky, all of []

Bynowitisbecominghardtorememberthat,atthepeakofitspopularity

andinfluence,classicalmusiccarriedwithitanundeniableintellectualand

evenmoralauthority,qualitieswhichwouldruboffoncomposersand

performerssuchasAaronCopland,LeonardBernstein,AlbertSchweitzer,

PierreBoulez,VanCliburnandIgorStravinsky,allofwhomwould,in

differentways,playleadingroleswithinthesocialandculturallandscapeof

thecoldwarperiod.

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2012/04/music-modernism-and-the-twilight-of-the-elites/https://www.jacobinmag.com/author/john-hall/



Inonerespect,notsomuchhaschangedintheyearssince:musicianswith

large,loyalandenthusiasticfollowingscontinuetohaveanoutsized

influence,frequentlyrecruitedforinitiativesrangingfromanimalrightsto

medicalmarijuanatoenvironmentaljustice.ThesongsofBruceSpringsteen,

JohnnyCash,SmokeyRobinsonandGarthBrooks(totakeafewnamesat

random)havebeenstaplesatcandidatesralliesfordecades,their

endorsementsactivelysoughtoutbypoliticalfigures.Musicianshavealso

servedinvariouspoliticalpositionsinrecentyears,amongthem

CongressmenJohnHall(oftheseventiesrockbandOrleans)andSonny

Bono,authoroflandmarkcopyrightlegislation.InLatinAmerica,Gilberto

GilandSuzanneBacahavebeenappointedasMinistersofCultureinBrazil

andPerurespectively,positionsofsubstantialpowerandinfluence.

Thatthosejustmentionedareallpopmusiciansisindicativeofawidely

recognized,albeitinfrequentlydiscussed,development:classicalmusics

precipitouslossofprestigeandculturalauthorityoverthepasttwoorthree

decades.ThereasonsforthisarealargertopicthanwhatIwillexamine

here.RatherIwillfocusononecorneroftheclassicalmusicworldwhere

thefallfromgracehasbeenparticularlydramaticnamely,whatusedto

becalledcontemporaryormodernmusic,butwhichnow,insofarasitis

recognizedasadistinctgenre,requiresanadditionalgenericqualifier:

contemporaryclassicalmusic.

BeforeIdoso,Iwillconcedethatintheschemeofthings,whetheroneor

anotherkindofmusicgetssubsidized,composed,andperformed,isnota

matterofmuchsignificance.Whatissignificantandrevealingisthebasic

outlineofthecollapse:anelitesanctionedenterpriseischallenged,losesits

capacitytoclaimexpertiseand,ultimately,itsprivilegedstatus.This

trajectorywasrecapitulatedonmanyoccasionsoutsideoftheworldof

musicandthearts.Carriedtoitsextreme,eliteprivilegeandimpunityisat

thecoreofwhymanyofusnowfindourselvesonthestreets.Andsothe

largerdramawhichisnowbeingplayedoutismorethanalittlefamiliarto

composersofmygeneration,asthebriefrecapitulationofthatwhichIwill

callournakbawillreveal.



Thestorybeginsinthenineteenthcentury,whencomposerssuchas

Beethoven,Wagner,VerdiandBrahmsachievedasocietalstatusand

culturalcentralityequaltoifnotunmatchedbyartistsinanyprevious

historicalepoch.Theirexaltedstatuswouldcontinuethroughthemodernist

period,thoughtheyweremetwithincreasingincomprehensionand

bewildermentinthefaceofworkswhichwere,insomecases,deliberate

assaultsonbourgeoissensibilities.

Doubtsastotheviabilityofmusicalmodernismintensifiedduringthepost

warperiodandwouldemergeasafrequenttopicofhighbrowdiscoursea

generationago.BooksandmagazinearticleswithtitlessuchasTheAgony

ofModernMusic[1],TerminalPrestige[2],RationalizingCulture[3]

andTheTwilightoftheTenuredComposer[4]tookaimatwhatonethen

marginalcomposerdescribedasawasteland,dominatedbythesemaniacs,

thesecreeps,whoweretryingtomakeeveryonewritethiscrazycreepy

music.[5]Atacertainpointadominantcriticalnarrativewouldemerge

announcingthedeathofcontemporaryclassicalmusicatthehandsofa

cadreofmodernistzealots.Workingwithinthelegacyofthesecond

VienneseSchool(Schoenberg,BergandWebern),figuressuchasPierre

BoulezandMiltonBabbittsothestorygoesattemptedtoreducethe

creationofmusictoatechnocraticspecialty.Morefluentwiththe

manipulationofabstrusearithmeticformulasthanwiththenutsandboltsof

melody,harmonicprogressions,audibleform,orsonicappeal,theybelieved

thatthecreationofmusiccouldbereducedtoautonomoussyntacticformat

itsmostcognitivelyopaque,withlittleconcernastowhat,orevenwhether,

amessageofanysignificancewascommunicatedtotheiraudiences.

Inshort,itwasmusicwithoutmeaningandwasreceivedassuch,notjustby

generalaudiencesbutbyitsnominaltargetaudienceofintellectuals,who

inaminorrecapitulationofthewellworntrahisondesclercsmaneuver

fledtowardsthegreenerpasturesof,first,jazzandtheneventuallyawide

varietyofpopularandworldmusics.Atitsnadir,classicalcomposition

wouldberegardedalonglinesarguedbyphilosopherStanleyCavell,asa

fundamentallyfraudulententerprise[6].AndwhileCavellsdescriptionwas

directednarrowlyatthealeatoricexperimentaltraditionassociatedwithJohn

Cageandhiscircle,theindictmentwouldfrequentlybeextendedto

composersworkingwithinthehighmodernisttraditionhostiletoCageand

hisschool,andeventoawholesalerejectionoftwentiethcenturymusic[7],

includingcomposerswhosawthemselvesasreactingagainstmodernism.

file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn7file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn1file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn3file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn6file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn2file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn4file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn5



Thesewidelycirculatedcritiqueswouldresultinclassicalcomposersbeing

marginalizedfromwhathadbeentheexclusiveperchesfromwhichtheir

influencecouldbeprojected.Thattheyhavebeendislodgedfromtheseis

routinelyattestedtobyexampleslikethefollowing:WhentheNewYork

Timesseeksexpertopinionsonwheremusicssoulresides,PaulSimon,

RoseanneCashandothersfromthepopmusicworldareaskedtocontribute

theirperspectives.Noclassicalcomposerisrepresented.Or,whiletheNew

YorkReviewofBooks,duringitsfirstdecade,wouldopenitspagestoRobert

CraftandCharlesRosenextollingtheworkofthencuttingedgehigh

modernistssuchasElliottCarter,nowitsmusicalperspectivetendstobe

centeredaroundvernacularidioms.Whatwouldhavebeendismissedas

celebritybiographiesofEminem,rap,variousMotownartistsandBob

Dylaninyearspastarenowrespectfullyreviewedandoftenpraised.A

somewhatmoredownscaleindicationofcontemporarycomposers

marginalizationcanbeseenbyperusingtheguestdocketofthemiddlebrow

publicradiointerviewshowFreshAir,whichlistsonlytwoclassical

composers(SteveReichandJohnAdams)inthepasttwoyears,nextto

columnsofjazz,rock,soul,hiphopandworldmusicmusicians.

IshouldstressherethatIdonotendorsewhatisbynowthedominant

conventionalwisdom,whichassignsresponsibilitytoacademichigh

modernismforcontemporarymusicswaningculturalauthority.WhileI

haveratherlittleaffinitywiththeidiom,theallegation,inparticular,of

fraudulence,thatisdirectedatitspractitioners(insofarasithasany

meaning)isobviouslybeliedbythehighleveloftechnicalcompetence,in

themosttraditionalsenseoftheterm,ofthecomposersworkingwithinit.

Ratherthandenigratingacademicmodernism,myobjectivehereistonote

thatsuchchargesdirectedagainstitwouldcometoassumethestatusofa

conventionalwisdomand,assuch,hadanimportantimpactontheultimate

viabilityofthefieldandinthecapacityofrecognizedelitestodictatethe

termsofthebroaderpublicsengagementswithmusicalculture.

Expressedinmorefamiliarterms,whatallthisamountedtowasthe

spectacleofaBlancheDuboisofartformsgettingitscomeuppance.Andit

waslongoverduetomanyincludingtoculturalpopulistswhoresented

classicalmusicscombinationofarroganceandpreciosity,nottomentionits

accesstofundingsourcesinsulatingitfromtheharshdictatesofthe

capitalistmarketplace.

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2003/nov/06/imitation-of-life/http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2011/jan/13/rude-ludicrous-lucrative-rap/



ButthepleasuresofSchadenfreudewouldturnoutbeshortlivedasother

disciplinesintheartsandhumanitieswouldsoonfollowclassicalcomposers

inamarchtowardstheculturalmargins.Amongthefirsttojoininwouldbe

literaryscholarship.Justasthechargeoffraudulencewouldemanatefirst

fromwithintheranksofcomposers,sotoowouldthedimmestviewsof

literarystudiesemergefirstfromwithinthefield.Manytraditionalliterary

scholarsearnestlyexpressedtheirdiscomfortwithpostmodernistand

poststructuralisttendenciesinacademicjournals.Butthebestknownof

thesesalvoswouldappearinsatiricalworkssuchasFrederickCrewsThe

PoohPerplexanditssequelPostmodernPoohalarminglypitchperfect

takedownsoftherangeofcriticaltheoriesdominantacrosstwodifferent

academicgenerations.Alongsimilarlines,DavidLodgesseriesofnovels

pokedfunatthepantheonofacademiccelebrities,prettymuchallofwhom

emergeasbuffoonsmostnotablythecharacterofMorrisZapp,astandin

fortheliterarycriticStanleyFish,whoseownfamilydemandsaransom

fromhisterroristabductorsforhisreleasefromcaptivity.Probablytheleast

knownofthesesatireswouldbeDavidBromwichandEdwardMendelsons

RaritanarticleHistoricizingPhrenology[8]whichwouldbeseriously

discussedwithinthefieldfornearlyeightyearsbeforebeingexposedfora

hoaxbyjournalistRonRosenbaum.

http://www.observer.com/1998/03/on-the-sophistry-of-european-sophistication/file:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn11



Comingfromwithintheacademicfraternity,theseportraits,whilecertainly

uncomfortable,couldbeacceptedasthenormalandhealthyinternalself

criticismwhichanyseriousdisciplinetakesforgranted.Moreproblematic

wastheincreasingrecognitionthatthemostskeptical,corrosiveandhostile

viewsofthefieldwereprevalentontheoutside.Thisbecameapparentwith

aratherlessfriendlysatiricalattackdeliveredbyNYUphysicistAlanSokal

intheformofanabsurdistarticleacceptedforpublicationbytheflagship

postmodernjournalSocialText.TheSokalhoax,asitbecameknown,

demonstrated,atminimum,awidespreadperceptionthatleadingmembers

ofthepostmodernistmovementwereincapableofrationaldiscourse,

profoundlyignorantandsimultaneouslycontemptuousof,scientificnorms

andaltogetherlackinginintellectualselfdiscipline.Subsequentdefenses

mountedinitswakeonlymademattersworseandopenedthefieldupto

additionalkicksfromthepoliticalRightadministeredbyPaulGrossand

NormalLevittintheirbookHigherSuperstition[9].Moredamagewould

beinflictedbythedisclosurethatoneoftheleadingfiguresofthe

deconstructionmovementinliterarytheory,PauldeManofYaleUniversity,

hadauthoredantisemiticworksforaBelgiancollaborationistnewspaper.

WithdeMansunmasking,therelativisttenetsfundamentalto

poststructuralistcriticismwouldtakeonamuchdarkersubtextasaformof

Holocaustdenialismonethatwasfamiliartoitscontinentalfollowers,but

wouldbeparticularlyabhorrenttomanyofitsmostenthusiasticdomestic

adherentsandpotentialsympathizers.

Theterminalpointofthisdescentwouldbemordantlydescribedin1999by

AndrewDelbancointheNewYorkReview:

Acoupleofyearsago,inanarticleexplaininghowfundsfor

facultypositionsareallocatedinAmericanuniversities,theprovost

oftheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleyofferedsomefrank

advicetodepartmentchairs,whosejobpartlyconsistsoflobbying

forashareofthebudget.Oneverycampus,shewrote,thereis

onedepartmentwhosenameneedonlybementionedtomake

peoplelaughyoudontwantthatdepartmenttobeyours.The

provost,CarolChrist(whoretainsherfacultypositionasa

literatureprofessor),doesnotnametheoffenderbuteveryone

knowsthatifyouwanttolocatethelaughingstockonyourlocal

campusthesedays,yourbestbetistostopbytheEnglish

department.

http://physics.nyu.edu/sokal/transgress_v2/transgress_v2_singlefile.htmlfile:///C:/Users/bhaskar/Downloads/#_edn14http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1999/nov/04/the-decline-and-fall-of-literature/



Justasclassicalcomposerscontinuetofunctionwithinintheacademyina

reducedcapacity,sotoodocollegeEnglishdepartmentscontinuetoservice

diminishingnumbersofundergraduatemajors,aswellasnonmajorsin

requiredsurveyclasses.Onedifferencebetweenthetwofieldsisthefact

thatclassicalcomposers,beingperhapsmorepainfullyawareoftheir

decliningstatusamongpeers,nowseemreluctanttoexpressopinions

outsideofnarrowlydefinedmusictheoreticaltopics.Literaryscholars

appearsomewhatlessconstrainedinofferingtheirexpertopinionsonawide

rangeoftopicsortexts,astheyconstruetheempiricalbasisoftheir

discipline.AmongtheleastreticentisHarvardsElaineScarrywho,ina

seriesofarticles,discussedtheroleofhighintensityradiatedfieldsinthe

explosionofTWAflight800in1997.ThatScarry,theCabotProfessorof

Aesthetics,hasvirtuallynocredentialsintherelevant,andhighlytechnical,

subjectmattersuggeststhatahighdegreeofintellectualselfconfidence(not

tosaychutzpah)remainsdeeplyrootedatleastamongtheeliteranksof

humanitiesfaculty.Alessflamboyantexampleisprovidedbytherecent

politicalwritingsofYalesDavidBromwichintheLondonReviewofBooks

andelsewhere.Thesearebrilliantandprofoundlydamningportraitsofthe

Obamapresidency,widelyreadinthenascentand(onehopes)fast

developingmovementofoppositiontotheadministrationsvarious

constitutional,environmentalandeconomicoutrages.Whiletheyare

outstandinginstancesofjournalisticpolemicsinthetraditionofI.F.Stone,

theyarereasonablyviewedascategoricallydistinctfromBromwichs

central(albeitimpressivelybroad)scholarlydomainofEnglishimaginative

literatureextendingfromShakespearetoHazlitttoWordsworthtomodern

poetry.

Itshouldcomeasnosurprisethatthosewhoseacademiccredentialshave

becomealaughingstockwoulddirecttheirenergiestowardsotherfora

wheretheirrhetoricalfluencyandsensitivitytotextualnuancemightbe

profitablyexercised.Somethingofthesamehasoccurredamongacademic

composers,manyofwhomnowworkwithinidioms(e.g.rockandworld

musics)whichsharelittlerelationshiptothecanonicworksthatconstituted

thecoreoftheiracademictraining.Theseexercisesinacademic

moonlighting,whileinonerespectreflectingfavorablyontheunderlying

competenceofthoseengaginginthem,areatthesametimeconsistentwith

thedim,stigmatizedviewoftheacademichumanitiesasbestavoidedby

thosewantingtobetakenseriouslywithinthebroaderculture.

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n20/david-bromwich/obamas-delusionhttp://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n20/david-bromwich/obamas-delusionhttp://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2000/oct/05/twa-800-and-electromagnetic-interference-work-alre/



Thepublicshamingofthehumanitieswasthecauseofsomesatisfaction

outsidethesedisciplinesnotablyamongskepticswhosawthemas,at

best,consistingoftheexpressionofsubjectivetastesandprejudices,andat

worst,theparadingofcharlatanismandfraudulenceinaposeofexpertise.

Buttheshaminghasrecentlyexpandedinsurprisingdirections.Amongthe

disciplineswhosestockhadrisenasthehumanitiesdeclinedwerethose

whoseempiricalmethodologieswereseenasexemptingthemfromthe

chargeofsubjectivityrunamok.Foremostamongthesewaswhatwasseen

asthemostrigorousofthesocialsciences,namely,thefieldofeconomics

inparticulartheneoclassicalrationalchoicedoctrine,whichacquired

unparalleledprestige,itsleadingpractitionerscommandinglargesalaries,its

modelspushingtothemarginsolderKeynesianandotherapproaches,and

itsgraduateshavingtheirpickofentryleveljobswithinanelsewheretight

academicjobmarket.

Thebestknownfigureswouldmoveeffortlesslyaroundthethreelegged

stoolofgovernment,corporateboardroomsandtheacademy.Milton

Friedman,AlanGreenspan,LawrenceSummers,andJeffreySachs,would

becomenearlypapalintheirinfluenceonpublicpolicybothhereand

abroad,theirpronouncementsonpublicpolicygrantedexcathedrastatusby

elitesinmediaandpolicymakingcircles.Forthebroadpublic,the

economistsfromtheFreakonomicsfranchiseappliedtheirpresumed

expertisetoeverythingfromprostitutiontoguncontrol,musicaltaste,and

climatechange,subjectsfarfrominterestrates,demandcurvesandprice

equilibria.Thesewouldhelptoestablishthecapitalistmarketasasecular

icon,especiallyamongnobodysfoolhipsterswhohadbeentraditionally

resistanttotheblandishmentsofrightwingeconomicideology.



Thenextstepinthisprogressionwas,aseveryoneknowsbynow,offthe

cliff,whichistosayaneartotalcollapseofthefieldsintellectualandmoral

standing.Theeconomistsnakbacanbedatedtotheyearsofthehousing

bubble,whichwouldbemissedbyvirtuallytheentiretyofthemainstreamof

theprofessionafailureroughlyequivalenttothemembershipofthe

AmericanAstronomicalSocietyfailingtopredictaneclipse.Perhapsthe

catharticmomentwasAlanGreenspanstestimonybeforethehousebanking

committeeadmittingtoflawswhichresultedinthemodelspredictive

failure.Greenspanwas,ofcourse,carefultocouchhismeaculpaintypically

obscurescientisticrhetoric,equatinghimselfinasmuchtoacivilengineeror

biochemistdiscussingafaultyconstructiontechniqueorineffective

prescriptionpharmaceutical.Theunderlyingpremisewasthatthebasic

principlesofeconomicscienceremainedsoundbutthattheyhadbeen

mistakenlyappliedinthisparticularinstance.Whatwasincreasingly

perceivedbythoseoutsideandasignificantminorityontheinsidewasthat

economicswasnomoreanobjectivesciencethanwerethehumanistic

disciplinesmanyeconomistshadviewedasempiricallysoftand

intellectuallysuspect.Indeed,muchofeconomicswouldbeshownto

embodythemostcynicalviewofthehumanisticenterprises:anelaborately

stagedmascaradewherebyeliteprejudicesweretransformedintoeternal

truths,implementedinpublicpolicies,somehowalwayshavingtheeffectof

furtherenrichingelitestotheimmiseratingdetrimentoftheother99%.

Thetransformationoftheeconomicsdisciplinefromdeitytodemonisbest

chartedinCharlesFergusons2010documentaryInsideJob,which

demonstratesinclinicaldetailhowanelaboratelyfashionededificeof

mathematicalrigorandformalmethodologywasbuiltonafoundationof

selfinterestedfraudulence.ColumbiaProfessorsGlennHubbardand

FrederickMishkinareshowntobesimpleconmen,albeitextremely

effectiveones,havingparlayedtheiracademicreputationsintopositionsof

considerableinfluenceand,notcoincidentally,considerablepersonalwealth.

InasubsequentarticlefortheChronicleofHigherEducation,Fergusontook

aimattheconflictofinterestpoliciesobtainingineliteuniversities,

comparingthesewiththesimilarlylaxregulationswhichlubricate,rather

thanimpede,therevolvingdoorbetweenthegovernment,thedefense

industriesandprivatelobbyingfirms.Fergusonconcludeswiththe

Hippocraticimperativeacademehealthyself!inrecognitionofthecentral

rolewhichsupposedlydisinterestedacademicinquiryhasplayedin

promotingthefraudulentassumptionsattherootofeconomicpolicyfortwo

politicalgenerations,onewhichhasvisiteduntoldharmontensifnot

hundredsofmillionsofpeople.

http://chronicle.com/article/Larry-Summersthe/124790/



Mainstreameconomistshavebeenslowtorecognizeandevenslowerto

accepttheirresponsibilityfor,thedecisiveroleoftheirdisciplineinthe

globalcatastrophe.Slowerstillhasbeenthepoliticalestablishment,within

whichmainstreameconomicretainsmuchofitsluster.Thatthisisthecase

canbeseenintheresponsetotheeconomiccrisis,theimpositionofan

internationalregimeofausteritythattakesapagetakendirectlyfromthe

supplysideplaybook.Therearenowindications,mostconspicuouslyinthe

formoftheWallStreetoccupationmovement,thatthisconventional

wisdomwillbe,atleastinpart,dislodged.Thatthiswillnothappenwithout

intenseexternalpressuregivesagoodindicationofthefundamental

corruptionattheheartoftheeconomicsprofessionanditsessentialrolein

theongoingwarofdispossessionwagedbyeconomicelitesagainstthevast

majorityofthepopulation.

Infairness,itshouldberecognizedthatmorethanafeweconomistshave

harboreddoubtsandhavebeenincreasinglywillingtoexpressthem.One

indicationcanbeseenintheNobelPrizeswhichhave,inrecentyears,been

grantedtothosewelloutsideoftherightwingmainstreamnotablythe

2006prizeawardedtothepsychologistDanielKahneman,whoseworkisa

directrepudiationoftheassumptionthathumansarecapableofconsistently

exercisingthecognitivecapacityforrationalchoiceintheeconomicrealm.

AnotherNobelPrizewinner,PaulKrugman,enjoysaNewYorkTimes

platformforhisattacksonwhathehasdubbedmainstreamfreshwater

economics,accusingitofrecapitulating80yearoldfallaciesinthebelief

thattheyreprofoundinsights,because[mosteconomists]areignorantofthe

hardwoninsightsofthepastAccordingtoKrugman,manyeconomists

arenteventryingtogetatthetruth[butengagein]theinventionofstories

torationalizethedisasterinawaythatsupportstheirsideofthepartisan

divide.

AllthisKrugmancontinues,makesmewonderwhatkindofan

enterpriseIvedevotedmylifeto.Whileliteraryscholarsandcomposers

may,intheirdarkermoments,harborrealdoubtsabouthowtheirfieldsare

practiced,few,eveninthedepthsofdespair,wouldaskthissortofquestion

abouttheirfundamentalpurposeandpremises.



Sofar,Ihavefocusedonthenegativesideoftheseinstancesofintellectual

disgrace,inparticulartheperceptionofafundamentalbankruptcyatthe

heartofexpertiseasitwasdefinedwithinthepostwarinstitutional

mainstream.Butthereisalsoapositivemoral,whichisthatthecollapseof

institutionalauthorityhasbroughtwithittherecognitionthattheideas,

analysesandpredictionsofamateursaverage,uncredentialledcitizens

havematchedandfrequentlyexceededininsight,reliability,andaccuracy

thoseofcredentialedexperts.Whilethishasbeenapparentinallofthefields

mentionedabove,itisperhapsmostconspicuousinmusic,whereitisnow

takenforgrantedthatworksofemotionalpower,intellectualsubstanceand

structuralsophisticationareroutinelyproducedwelloutsideofexpertclass

whichistosay,thosewhohavebeengrantedthehonorificjob

descriptioncomposer.

Therelevantformoftechnicalexpertisedifferentiatingcomposersfrom

musicianswhojusthappentocreatemusichasbeenthatofmusicalnotation,

forcenturies,assumedtobetheexclusivemediumthroughwhichmusical

workswithpretentionstoartisticseriousnesshadtobeconveyed.Withthe

folkandrockmusicrevolutionsofthefiftiesandsixties,thenotatedscore

wouldberelegatedtothestatusofahistoricalartifact,asrecordingsand

broadcastsofperformancesbymusiciansbecamethemainmediumthrough

whichmusicwascommunicatedfromcomposertoperformertoaudiences.

Therigorousmusicaltrainingnecessarytoproducelegiblescoresandto

decodethecomplexhieroglyphicsofmusicalnotationwouldbeseen,ina

kindofmirrorimagemusicalReformation,asabarrierimposedbyelites

designedtosuppresstherightofthemassestoparticipate.PeteSeeger

wouldbecometheseminalfigureinthisrevolution,insistingthatthejoysof

bothmusicandmusicmakingshouldbeavailabletoall,notjustthoseable

tonegotiatemusiconthepage.Theremovalofthebarrierresultedintheart

formwhichhasdefinedthecultureofeverygenerationsince:Motown,Bob

Dylan,LennonandMcCartney,JoniMitchell,TheLastPoets,KurtCobain,

KanyeWest,thecanonofcontemporarymusicasitisnowuncontroversially

defined,virtuallyallofwhichhasemanatedfromthosewholackedeither

themeansortheinclinationtodevelopconventionalmusicalliteracy.

http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/Meditations-on-a-PostLiterate-Musical-Future/



Ofcourse,whilethemandarinclassofitsdayridiculedthepossibilityof

marketorientedephemerahavinganyconnectiontomusicalcultureinany

meaningfulsenseoftheterm,ithasnowbeenatleasttwogenerationsthat

thisviewhasbeenonthedefensive.Bynow,thosewhowouldclaim

culturalcentralityorevenrelevancefortheiconsofsixtiesofhigh

modernismpromotedbyelitesCarter,Babbitt,andBoulezseem

merelyridiculous,themusicalanaloguesofdefendersofEnverHoxhaor

KimJongIl.Anewchapterofthisstoryisnowemerging,however.For

withthecompletetriumphofmarketfundamentalismwithineconomics,and

itscloserelativemarketpopulismwithintheworldofartsandcultural

production,therearemorethanafewindicationsthatdiscontentis

simmering,notonlywiththesocialconditionsthemarkethaswroughtbut

withtheinevitablelimitationsitimposesontherangeofcreativeexpression.

Thereisanincreasingrecognitionthatwithinthecapitalistmarketplace

musicisnecessarilyconsignedtoautilitarianfunction,asadeliveryvehicle

forcommercialsolicitationsoratbesttheexpressionoflifestylechoices

andsocialidentitiesachievedthroughconsumeristacquisition.Itwas

predictablethatthethreetofourminutesongwouldincreasinglydefinethe

exclusivelimitsofmusicalformasneoliberalismtighteneditsgrip.This

limitedformalvocabularycontrastsstarklywiththemusicalcultureofthe

canonicperiodwhich,whilecontainingasubstantialsongliterature,is

notableforthecentralityofinstrumentalmusicmakinguseofautonomous,

asopposedtotextuallybased,musicalforms.Theengagementwith

instrumentalworksrequirestheimmersioninaworldwhoselogicisdictated

byitsownselfcontainedandselfsufficientrulesofantecedentand

consequentphrases,diminutionandaugmentation,perfect,imperfector

deceptivecadences,motivictransformationanddevelopment.Asthesehave

nothingtodowithsystemofcontrolanddominationwhichdefinesourlives

elsewheretheexploitationoflabor,theprovisionofservicesorthe

acquisitionofrawmaterialssocalledpuremusicconstitutesarealmof

experienceinwhichhomoeconomicushasnostatus.Anditisforthis

reasonthattheappreciationofautonomous,nonreferentialmusical

structure,whileadmittedlyconstitutingaformofescapismformost,is,atits

best,afundamentallysubversiveactthroughrecognizingthatanotherworld

is,atleastinametaphoricalsense,temporarilypossible.



Itisnotsurprising,then,thatlargescaleautonomousmusicaldiscourseand

syntaxwouldbecomearelicofthepastaswouldthemedium,musical

notation,inwhichextendedmusicalformwascommunicated.And,as

suggestedearlier,thereisaninseparableconnectionbetweenautonomous

contentandthemediuminwhichitisconveyed:fluencywithmusical

notationisrequiredtoacquireatechnicalunderstandingofautonomous

forms(sonata,fugue,rondo,etc.)butmoreimportantlynotationfunctions

asamusicalblueprintrequiredforcomposerstoconceptualizeand

subsequentlycreateacoherentlargescalemusicalarchitectureofanysort.

Asthegoalofcreatinganextendedautonomousformwithinmusicis

rejected,thetechnicalmeansbyforachievingitinevitablywitheraway.

Thisrealizationbegsanotablehypotheticalquestion:Whatifasocialand

economicclimatehadexistedinwhichthemusicalstatementsofthesixties

hademanatedfromliteratemusicalcultureperhapsasanadversarial

tendencywithinitratherthanrepudiatingthatculturesmostfundamental

premises?WhatifKurtCobainhadgonetoConservatory?Whilewe

certainlywouldnothavesymphoniesinanythinglikethetraditionalsense

wemighthavehadsomethingalongthelinesofaviablemusicalthird

stream.

Butthereisreasontobelievethatsuchathirdwaywouldhavefailed,just

ashavepoliticalthirdwaysbelovedofgenerationsofreformistliberal

intellectuals.Asforwhy

thisisthecase,hereisanattemptatanexplanationthatIventuredsome

yearsago:

Audiencesandcomposershaveexpectationswhichcantbemetby

musictransmittedfromcomposertoperformerviatheprint

medium.Itisnotpossibletoachievethefrenziesofactivity,the

extremesofdensity,northenearoptimalmatchingofmusical

materialtoinstrumentalcapabilitiesinherentintheprocessoftrial

anderror,improvisation,andrecordingstudiocuttingandpasting

whichdefinesthecreationofmostcontemporarymusic.Nor...

aretheunlimitedsonicresources,theabsoluterhythmicprecision,

andextremesofspeed,frequency,andamplitudepossiblewithin

thedigitalrealmaccessibletocomposersworkingwithintheprintmusicmedium.



1. HenryPleasants,TheAgonyofModernMusic.NewYork:Simon&

Schuster,1955.

2. SusanMcClary,TerminalPrestige:TheCaseofAvantGarde

Composition,CulturalCritique12,1989,pp.5781

3. GeorginaBorn,RationalizingCulture:IRCAM,Boulez,andthe

InstitutionalizationoftheMusicalAvantGarde.Berkeley:Universityof

CaliforniaPress,1995.

4. RichardSennett,TheTwilightoftheTenuredComposer,Harpers269

(December1984),pp.7071.

Thebasicsoundworldandmusicalsyntaxofpopularmusicdefinesa

distinctlanguage,onewhichisinextricablylinkedtothemediuminwhichit

iscommunicated.Ithasbecomethemusicallinguafrancaofourdayandall

attemptstospeakthelanguagewithintheliteratemediumtendtocome

acrossasstiltedandunnatural.Mostmusiciansinmygenerationand

youngerarenowmoreorlessequallyfluentinbothlanguagesandareto

givebothlanguagestheirdue:justasitisimpossiblethatthiscouldhave

beenconceivedwithinanonliteratemedium,itisequallyunimaginablethat

thiscouldbeinspired,createdandperformedwithinthemediumofnotation.

Attheriskofpushingtheanalogytoanextreme,wemightspeculatethatwe

arenowatthebeginningofaliberationofpoliticalenergiescomparableto

thatofthemusicalrevolutionofthesixties.Eliteexpertisehavingbeen

underminedandrepudiated,elitesofallstripesareincreasinglyviewedas

debased,clueless,cynicalandcorrupt.Anditstandstoreasonthatthe

leadershipstructureofthelefthasreflectedthisawareness,itsownelites

havingbeenreplacedbyahorizontaldemocracyinwhich,inprinciple,all

aregivenavoiceandexpectedtoparticipate.Itseemsquitelikelythatat

somepoint,theGeneralAssemblyhootenannywillcometoanend,and

someformoftopdownorganizationwillimposeitself,eitherunderduress

oroutoftherecognitionofpractical,politicalnecessity.Atthatpoint,itwill

betimetoresuscitatewhatwereassumedtobethosemoribundtraditions

centeredaroundtheconceptionofstructuringlargescalesocial

arrangementsforthebenefitoftensofmillionsratherthanadhocsolutions

relevanttoachievingimpressivebutnonethelesslimitedactivistgoals.For

themoment,weshouldrecognizethenakbaoftheelitesasthefirststepand

welcomeandcelebratetheproductiveanarchywhichhasnecessarily

accompaniedit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vITKFi2W_ohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxhBktU8yyo



5. ComposerPhillipGlassquotedinJohnRockwell,AllAmericanMusic:

Compositionofthelate20thCentury,NewYork:Knopf,1983

6. Cavell,Stanley.MusicDiscomposed,inMustWeMeanWhatWe

Say?,CambridgeandNewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,1976.

7. Foranextreme,albeitnotatypical,example,Twentiethcenturymusicis

likepedophilia.Nomatterhowpersuasivelyandpersistentlyits

championsurgetheircause,itwillneverbeacceptedbythepublicat

large,whowillcontinuetoregarditwithincomprehension,outrageand

repugnance.KingsleyAmis,quotedinPaulFussell,TheAntiEgotist:

KingsleyAmis,ManofLetters,NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,

1994.

8. Salazar,Rothman.HistoricizingPhrenology:Wordsworth,Pynchon,and

theDiscursiveEconomyoftheCranialText.Raritan8(1988):8091

9. PaulR.GrossandNormanLevitt,HigherSuperstition:TheAcademic

LeftandItsQuarrelsWithScience,Baltimore:JohnsHopkinsUniversity

Press,1994.

4.27.12

John Halle is the director of studies in music theory and practice at Bard

College Conservatory.

Documents

Music, Modernism, And the Twilight of the Elites _ Jacobin