The Benefit of No Opinions
One of the problems people face when getting into classical music is that it is sometimes hard to form independent opinions about a piece, particularly if they are negative. This is of course because of the untold piles of pre-established opinions which have been heaped and draped and taped across every major composition by generations of critics. Not so fond of Beethoven’s ninth? Well then you are an uncultured fool, say the decades of beardie and serious-looking music-reviewers, musicologists, musicians.
It is hard to form an independent opinion.
For example, one of the first composers I got into was Mendelssohn. Unfortunately, not soon after discovering him, up popped a selection of liner notes describing his music as not very serious, and him as essentially a second-rate composer. This kind of description is really disheartening to read after you are just getting your teeth into the music. You have erred. You do not have the correct taste. You should like Beethoven and Bach and Brahms a lot more than you do.
This insidious background of previous opinions has been particularly hammered home to me recently after listening to — and liking a lot — a composer who has had little to nothing written about him. I would like to say that this lack of opinionizing has not affected me not once, not a bit, not slightly: but that would be disingenuous. I guess I still feel like a bit of an outsider to the sphere of classical music, and not having that hint of external validation nags away in the background.
It’s kind of silly really. Music appreciation should be a subjective thing (shouldn’t it?) and it really shouldn’t matter whether other people appreciate your chosen choice of piece. I think that it is somewhat telling as to the attitude and atmosphere of the classical music genre that I still feel this way after several years of listening. Sure, all musical generes are like this to somewhat extent (”What do you MEAN, you don’t like the Beatles?!”) but the classical music world seems degrees snobbier.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:05 am
CM criticism which actually illuminates something for you about the music is worth paying attention to, but don’t bother with the “top 10″ or “top 100″ lists. Most of them represent the consensus of CM fans over the decades and centuries (depending on when the composer lived, of course), but if your personal preferences are different, don’t sweat it. You’re not going to be given a test at the end of the course!
What is really amusing are the evaluations of performances the “fans” give, especially in the field of opera. The raging arguments on Amazon about this or that recording always leave me in stitches.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
I’m always slightly outraged and very disappointed by liner notes that are dismissive about the composer in question. Liner notes (and program notes) are a very specific kind of writing and their role – well one of their key roles – is to provide advocacy and justification for the music on offer in the recording or concert. Not lying about the composer’s reputation, but always being the voice of the advocate. After all, if the notes say it’s not really worth playing what are the musicians doing playing it for us?!
And therein lies the very particular art of the liner note writer.
There’s absolutely a place for criticism and measured scholarship and for lively debate about the value or otherwise of composers, but liner notes need the voice of the advocate to dominate.
PS. I love Mendelssohn and will never tire of listening to his masterpieces. Yes, not all his works are masterpieces, but that’s not the point.
September 8th, 2008 at 12:21 am
JonJ:
I’m going to poke around on Amazon and laugh at people arguing over CDs now. It’s kind of crazy how defensive people get at defending their personal opinions, particularly with music and film tastes…
Yvonne:
Interesting point… it must be sort of frustrating writing program notes if you actually have negative opinions of a piece/composer and have to try to avoid letting them spill in. However, as we both attest to, I guess they sometimes don’t do a such good job at avoiding that. Unfortunately a little hint of condescension about a piece/composer you like really fires up ones outrage. Which I guess leads back to my comment to JonJ up there about overreacting to other peoples opinions…
September 10th, 2008 at 7:01 am
What was that?! How can you not like Rachmaninoff, Ben?!
On a more serious note:
The whole snobism becomes even more tiresome when you listen to mulitple genres of music and than have to defend their “merit”. Like, if you listen to and like film music: besides Korngold or Herrmann everything else is trash (even Shosty’s film music is third-rate socialist propaganda!).
Or an even better example: the merits of rap music — as I had the chance to witness such a discussion recently.
September 11th, 2008 at 10:44 am
Haha
Yeah, I’m guilty too. Although I (hope) I’ve learned to try and make it clear that it’s just my opinion when I write about composers I dislike…
I think it’s particularly interesting when the consensus manages to shift dramatically over time as well. Like with Rachmaninoff: wasn’t he basically dismissed at first? I think it’s only recently that critics have announced that he is an acceptable choice of composer, according to their inflated sense of judgment.
And as you point out, within classical music it’s bad enough, but between genres it gets way nastier.
September 12th, 2008 at 5:57 am
No worries Ben, we’re all guilty: Did I mention that I don’t listen to Mozart?
Sibelius is good example of public opinion shift: a musical hero up into the 1950’s (though, some detested him even then for his “conservatism”), then fell out of favor and he might be having a comeback now?
As for Rachmaninoff: You’re right. Already in his lifetime some of his works weren’t successful with the public or the critics (like the Third Symphony). Even today I read many times that the melodies and lush orchestration of the 2nd Symphony are “just too much”. At first they overwhelm the listener, I agree, but if one listens more often, better yet with score, you might discover the wonderful polyphony and see that there is indeed depth to Rachmaninoff’s music.
September 14th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
You know, one day I might write a blog post about how I have suddenly discovered I like Rachmaninoff. however, I suspect that’s gonna be a long time coming
I’m actually not a huge Mozart fan either…