20th Century Music Recommendation Needed

[karlhenning]

I have a problem with using "accessibility" as a touchstone.

Yes!

. . . possibly even apart from the fact that, bandied about as That Which Is Desirable in new music, it has become code on the order almost of "Socialist Realism."

[Kontrapunctus]

I'd like to suggest Olivier Greif (1950-2000). He wrote very intense yet relatively tuneful music--picture an even darker, more serious French Shostakovich! I especially like his Sonate de Requiem for Cello and Piano and his Piano Trio.

[Cato]

Yes!

. . . possibly even apart from the fact that, bandied about as That Which Is Desirable in new music, it has become code on the order almost of "Socialist Realism."

The Listener is the one who should be accessible to the music!   0:)

After giving the work a chance (or two or three, depending on the reaction) the Listener has the right to become inaccessible to it.  But even then...Time might change the Listener's mind.

[Cato]

Interesting: because somebody claims a work cannot stand alone, it therefore cannot stand alone!

But what if it can!?   

Repetition can help some people:

The Listener is the one who should be accessible to the music!   0:)

After giving the work a chance (or two or three, depending on the reaction) the Listener has the right to become inaccessible to it.  But even then...Time might change the Listener's mind.

[not edward]

Again .. point out the standalone film music that even compares to the stuff you're aligning it with. Can't be done.

Alexander Nevsky?

And hey, if you're like me and think that Schnittke's 2nd violin sonata is one of the great works in the genre, it's mostly an adaptation of his soundtrack to the animated film The Glass Accordion.

[jochanaan]

...and it's interesting how it's the names of composers who were completely steeped & established world-wide in the 'serious composition' side of the equation with their own voices intact crossing over into film who are mentioned as opposed to the other way 'round. Says it all imo...

Says what?  Only that these great composers, most of whom had no real need to "cross over," found something interesting in the idea of film work and didn't think it "beneath them" to contribute to the ever-increasing film-score literature.

And you can say all you want that scores like Alexander Nevsky, Hary Janos, the Errol Flynn Robin Hood, or Koyaanisqatsi are "not even close" to their composers' best work.  I have found otherwise.  Which of us is right?

[Grazioso]

Again .. point out the standalone film music that even compares to the stuff you're aligning it with. Can't be done. Name just one that even compares to the pieces that Bartok, Stravinsky, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Debussy & others wrote that are teeming with tremendous musical invention and substance. You're confusing things if you think that the music backdrop found in film even comes close to the real thing. It doesn't, and it can't. If someone started me off with a false notion that film pap was serious art music composition, let alone 'tops' of the art-form ... id be like "that's all that there is?" .. and  never even consider listening at all afterward (no reason to). Thank God, it's not ... and we have things like the Miraculous Mandarin, Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring, Les Noces, Pulcinella, Apollo, Agon, Jeux, Daphnie et Chloe, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, Appalachian Spring, Romeo & Juliet etc.

Onto the merry-go-round once again... I'm not aligning anything with anything. You do realize you're the (only) one hung up on the comparison game? I'm suggesting that someone with an open mind and ear who wanted to explore 20th-century music would not exclude film music. That would be as willfully foolish as refusing to learn about religious music or ballet music or chamber music or opera. Film is a major artistic medium, music can play a major role in it--this idea that you repeat that it's inevitably some kind of distant sonic backdrop is odd, to say the least--and major composers have written for the genre. Ergo, anyone who actually wants to learn about music would take the time to study it.

Trying to elevate film with the 'names/brand' recognition of composers who garnered a reputation NOT because of their film ties isn't a strong point at all. For many of the names you mention .. you can point to MUCH MUCH better & more substantial things for beginners to start with. (see my lists for starts) And composers who wrote mostly in film .. who tried to crossover into the world of serious writing/composition are inconsequential and nowhere near 'tops' either. Like really, I can't believe how you just can't hear that  .. heck, or how they don't even have a 'true' voice of their own!

OP wants to hear and learn about 20th-century music, major composers wrote for film during that time, ergo their film works are worth investigating.

I'm curious, btw, which specific concert works by any of the "film composers" I mentioned have you listened to, and what specifically led you to the conclusion they lack "true" voices of their own?

Yea accessible as in hardly penetrating the consciousness at all and sounds exactly like what they were intended to do; provide light backdrop .. hidden behind images & scenes, dialog, sound effects and plot. Hardly a serious scenario to focus on music itself, let alone showcase it! And it has no real life beyond it's film association either .. you know, let's get real ... i sense there is confusion just because some of the stuff is written down on paper and sometimes uses traditional instruments ... somehow because of that it's "serious writing" .. it's not.  There are 'scores' available for all kinds of pop culture shit.

To equate all film with pop culture betrays staggering ignorance. That would be like saying Faulkner and Joyce are dumbed-down beach reading. Again, it's odd that someone who professes to enjoy music would see soundtracks as "light backdrops," a generalization that means you don't pay attention to what you're seeing and hearing. They "fail to penetrate the consciousness" of people who refuse to listen carefully. And as I and numerous others posters have pointed out repeatedly, film scores often do stand on their own, either as they stand or remade into concert suites. Many of them are listened to independently on CD or in the concert hall, which is an obvious and irrefutable fact.

[Grazioso]

I have a problem with using "accessibility" as a touchstone. It seems always to involve privileging a certain audience, an audience that's not terribly sophisticated (experienced) or adventuresome. I'm not sure why that audience gets to be privileged, for one. I'm not sure that any audience should be privileged.

I understand your point, but it could also be seen as giving a particular audience what they know they like. I personally like to investigate broadly in the arts, and I think that can be a healthy, rewarding thing for anyone who is either curious or trying to gain a broad perspective. But that's hardly indicative of everyone.

Consider, too, that a music lover might have explored all kinds of "adventurous and sophisticated" works but come to the conclusion that he or she most prefers Beethoven, Brahms, and Dvorak. Hardly unsophisticated fare. And of course, de gustibus...

And if some of these recommendations have seemed to push the boundaries of what the OP apparently finds accessible, that seems something to be applauded rather than not.

Leading someone outside their comfort zone is one thing, throwing them is another

[Sid]

It's not limited at all ..  and those lists cover a wide wide breadth of the Art music legacy of the last century "across the board". I think that if someone has to resort to cheap film pap as a recommendation of true 20th century art music composition considering lists like mine, than you truly don't know much and are in fact; the one that is "limited".

Thanks for the implied put-down! I simply listen to music because I enjoy it. I don't care if it's a concerto or string quartet or film score. Maybe I don't know much, but I have been listening to classical music, both recorded and live, on and off for more than 20 years. I have other things going on in my life right now than simply amassing recordings and spending time at home in front of the stereo listening to them. I really don't give a toss if my knowledge of music is not as great as yours or whoevers here, I just come here to learn something new, I have a positive attitude. I don't see things as black and white like you seem to do, pushing people into a corner etc. Your posts about various aspects of composers repertoire on other threads have been enlightening for me. Other members here like Lethe have written many entries that I generally find interesting and informative. But I think judging from comments above from many knowledgeable people like Grazioso (yes - Bernstein's "On the Waterfront" is one of the greats!) that your opinions here have been controversial & not really agreeable to many people here.

One thing that I'd like to reiterate (which you seemed to ignore before) is that many people come to classical through film music. You might not have come to it via that route, but many others have. So it's logical to include some film music on any list of c20th classical music, imo. There are many "canons" of all specific genres - be they symphonies or operas or film scores - there is not only one "canon." Anyway, I'll stop now. I'm just wasting my time...

[Sid]

I have a problem with using "accessibility" as a touchstone. It seems always to involve privileging a certain audience, an audience that's not terribly sophisticated (experienced) or adventuresome. I'm not sure why that audience gets to be privileged, for one. I'm not sure that any audience should be privileged.

Most classical listeners that I know, in real life, are not really "specialists" like you find on these internet forums. They may go to concerts and buy a few recordings here and there, but they might have some other hobbies or preoccupations which take up their time in other ways. I wouldn't underestimate the sophistication, experience, adventurousness or knowledge of these people. I think thumbing your nose at someone who doesn't have 1000+ recordings or something like that equates to quite an elitist attitude. IMO, one can gain a fairly solid knowledge of classical music in many of it's forms, styles and eras with only a limited amount of recordings. The issue is quality rather than quantity. & it's also partly about attitude. I'm one of those people who owns far less recordings than most people here, but I wouldn't say that that makes me less sophisticated, experienced or adventuresome. I have gone to a wide variety of concerts - from period instruments to electronicacoustic music. My cd collection tends to have a number of works in different genres for each composer that has interested me. I have explored many things but not as in-depth as some of the "specialists." Does that make my opinions or impressions carry less weight than those people? If my opinions are of lesser value, then probably so are those of a great many of lifetime classical music lovers (who aren't members of forums like this, they are the "silent majority")...

Which is only to say that "it depends" is the key to how "accessibility" works. And unless you're committed to privileging one particular type of listener, then the question must always be "accessible to whom?"

Yes, I don't like the "a" word either. Accessibility means different things to different people. But I think that the main thing the OP wanted was to get some lists of the standard c20th repertoire, which is surely a good place to start for anyone who is beginning to get into c20th classical music. I doubt that he wanted the more obscure names, he really wanted a variety of the "big" names & a variety of their important or at least interesting works...

[Mirror Image]

Most classical listeners that I know, in real life, are not really "specialists" like you find on these internet forums. They may go to concerts and buy a few recordings here and there, but they might have some other hobbies or preoccupations which take up their time in other ways. I wouldn't underestimate the sophistication, experience, adventurousness or knowledge of these people. I think thumbing your nose at someone who doesn't have 1000+ recordings or something like that equates to quite an elitist attitude. IMO, one can gain a fairly solid knowledge of classical music in many of it's forms, styles and eras with only a limited amount of recordings. The issue is quality rather than quantity. & it's also partly about attitude. I'm one of those people who owns far less recordings than most people here, but I wouldn't say that that makes me less sophisticated, experienced or adventuresome. I have gone to a wide variety of concerts - from period instruments to electronicacoustic music. My cd collection tends to have a number of works in different genres for each composer that has interested me. I have explored many things but not as in-depth as some of the "specialists." Does that make my opinions or impressions carry less weight than those people? If my opinions are of lesser value, then probably so are those of a great many of lifetime classical music lovers (who aren't members of forums like this, they are the "silent majority")...

All excellent points my friend. I have to agree with you here. Owning 1,000+ CDs doesn't make anyone an expert, I'm living proof of that, but, then again, I never claimed I was an expert either. I know far less than most members here. My biggest problem, on an Internet forum, is getting what is really inside of my head, out on the screen. I'm terrible with describing music in written format to people, I always have been.

I'm also not as well versed in classical music as many people here are and I happily admit this. I'm a fan of the early to mid 20th Century with a few exceptions here and there. This is my favorite time period. I guess in this sense my knowledge is too specialized to really carry on a normal conversation with an average listener? The person I'm talking with is talking about Scarlatti and I'm talking about Berg, so we're not exactly meeting each other half way.

[Sid]

....My biggest problem, on an Internet forum, is getting what is really inside of my head, out on the screen. I'm terrible with describing music in written format to people, I always have been.

Well maybe when we talk about music, we are kind of setting ourselves up to failure. It's so hard to convey music in words. I heard an interview with Vladimir Ashkenazy on radio here in Sydney recently & the host was asking him about a Mahler symphony. & Ashkenazy said it's better not to talk about it much, just to let the music speak for itself.

BTW, I did go on a bit of a rant there, but I find it fruitless to communicate with someone like James for various reasons. He put me down in an indirect way, but he knows very little of my experiences with music, and what it means for me personally. It seems that he only values 'hard knowledge' rather than the many many experiences and multitude of ways in which people of different ways of thinking, etc. value and appreciate classical music...

[Mirror Image]

Well maybe when we talk about music, we are kind of setting ourselves up to failure. It's so hard to convey music in words. I heard an interview with Vladimir Ashkenazy on radio here in Sydney recently & the host was asking him about a Mahler symphony. & Ashkenazy said it's better not to talk about it much, just to let the music speak for itself.

BTW, I did go on a bit of a rant there, but I find it fruitless to communicate with someone like James for various reasons. He put me down in an indirect way, but he knows very little of my experiences with music, and what it means for me personally. It seems that he only values 'hard knowledge' rather than the many many experiences and multitude of ways in which people of different ways of thinking, etc. value and appreciate classical music...

I never worry about what other people think about me nor should anyone else care what I think about them. It doesn't change anything. James is still going to think what he thinks and you're going to continue to think what you think. This said, there's no need for James to insult people in the process. If he's unwilling to see another point-of-view, which is not the mark of somebody who claims to be the age of 60 years old, but rather the point-of-view of someone who is in their early 20s, then let him continue to think whatever he wants to. When there's no voice of reason coming from the other side, I simply shut my door. It's that simple.

If he wants to have an intelligent, civilized conversation without belittling what I enjoy, then, and only then, will there be a conversation.

[The new erato]

No film should be mentioned in this thread, because we're really addressing an art that focuses on the music first and foremost  ... The Gadfly is not top five,  not of the century, not even amoungst Shosta's own output!

Life is a compromise - and we enjoy what we enjoy and shouldn't have to make excuses for what we like as long as we work to develop our tastes and understanding of what we enjoy. In short; the road is more important than the goal. And we're not even all on the same path.

Last weekend I drank Chateau Margaux 86 and Clos de Beze 2001, but I wouldn't dream on looking down on anybody enjoying lesser wine (as I also usually do myself) as long as the wine is understood in the larger context. There' a large difference betweeen claiming that wellmade plonk (most plonk is, well plonk, but even within that context here are quality variations) is the worlds greatest wine and enjoying it for what it is, ie. wellmade wine within its context, which inevitably will include flaws.

[Grazioso]

BTW, I did go on a bit of a rant there, but I find it fruitless to communicate with someone like James for various reasons. He put me down in an indirect way, but he knows very little of my experiences with music, and what it means for me personally. It seems that he only values 'hard knowledge' rather than the many many experiences and multitude of ways in which people of different ways of thinking, etc. value and appreciate classical music...

I wouldn't say he or people like him value "hard knowledge," but rather they desperately cherish their presuppositions and biases and desperately try to foist them on others.

[jochanaan]

I am right...

Ha!  I got you to admit it in so many words: your belief that YOU ARE RIGHT! 

But I have to ask, sir: What are your credentials?  What gives you the right to say "I am right" to me, who not only have a Bachelor's in Music but have spent decades playing in orchestras and other ensembles and exploring composers I may never have heard of (when I have time and money)?  What gives you the right to say "I am right" to such as our "Apollon," who has a doctorate in music and has assembled a considerable portfolio of original compositions?

And before you start to deride academics, please realize that if nothing else, the process of getting a doctorate eliminates any who don't really love what they're doing.  We would never work this hard if we secretly hated music!

[jochanaan]

Common sense and a life long passion for music.

I have those too...

[Mirror Image]

But I have to ask, sir: What are your credentials?

James' credentials? He's 60 years old...duh!

[jochanaan]

I question that my friend .. considering that you honestly think that the stuff you mentioned earlier is the amongst deepest and most profound music of the last century.

Did I say that?  I must have been getting careless. But much of it is good music.  That's all I'm claiming for it.

[jowcol]

Common sense and a life long passion for music.

Excerpts from The Essential James, Revised Edition, (Stockhausen Press, 37 Zawinul Street, Utopia)


Chapter 23:  Behind the Mask of Apathy:  The Passion of Saint James


Does he care, or doesn't he?  This has traditionally posed one of the most perplexing questions for Jamesian Scholars, as they struggle to reconcile the post-existential nihilism of his assertions of not caring  with the frequency, zealousness, and tenacity of his posts. In this chapter, we first examine the intricately constructed facade of apathy the author displays towards the opinions of others, and after peeling away layers of the onion, we analyze the compassionate, redemptive side of his posts.  As we shall see, his posts are not meant to drive us away, but rather bring us to enlightenment and a heightened state of being-- however, at a poignant and terrible cost.

The Mask of Apathy

Early scholars [Newman, et all1], were very quick to notice the frequency in which the author was quick to deny any personal involvement or interest in the opinions of others.  The occurrences of this theme were quite frequent in the canon, with some of the most famous noted below:

whatever, shaddup!!!

much of your last reply isnt worth the time replying to im afraid

what others here are saying in disagreement, I dont find too compelling or relevant whatsoever...

Whatever dood.

I was joking! I don't really give a shit what you listen to quite frankly.

I never read your post so I dont care about that.

Nice ... but seriously, I don't care what you listen to and i was just bustin' yer balls a bit, jokingly ...

Your words are meaningless to me, just to let you know.

Don't care; your opinions have absolutely no weight at all in my books

See this proves to me that you don't really know a lot .
I don't really take much stock in your view

Says the dope who adds nothing the conversation.
Whatever, flea. Go away.

One of the most interesting citations, however, first noted by Sean in his famed essay on Serialism in the works of Mendelssohn², suddenly shed new light on this apparent apathy.

You're so confused and lost on this and I'm not motivated enough to sort things out for you, it would take way too much time.    And you don't have to approach a discussion like this in a pedantic manor either, that's totally daft.

Suddenly, the author brilliantly lowers his mask long enough for the reader to reach his or her own personal epiphany.  He mentions the possibility that he could lead the benighted souls of this forum to redemption, but also implied at the personal cost implied.  The conflict is now clear.  He has the power to deliver salvation, but is he willing to pay the cost.  It also becomes clear that the pattern of frequent denials is to convey the opposite to the discerning reader. For in a brilliant act of pyrotechnics, the author had created an elaborate play within a play, only to dissolve this insubstantial pageant when the reader is jolted to reality by the observation the "the lady doth protest too much, methinks."


Now it is clear. Yes, this lady doth protest too much. Yes, it does take too much time to make repeat the same assertions time and time again in front of the unwashed  masses whose highest artistic aspirations can be met at the nearest McDonalds.  (This phrase also implies of the terrible burden it must be to properly educate the unwashed masses, and how fatiguing it must be-- we will return to that theme later.)

The Fall From Grace

Carefully analysis of the postings demonstrate James's incisive and compassionate understanding of the human condition.  Man has fallen from the state of Grace, and is living in a meaningless void where "time is out of joint".  In addition to the "You're Wrong" theme already discussed in the first edition of the Essential James3 , it should also be noted that much of the Author's canon has been devoted to the themes of other posters being "way off" or "out of their depth", as typified by the following examples.

You're way off. All I can tell you is adjust your ears

You're out of your depth on this im afraid, and it's quite transparent.

you're completely off base.

sorry bro but your perceptions like the one I mentioned  are just sooo off base ... nevermind me, they'll never be validated by anyone with a musical brain.

you're assuming a lot,you're out of your depth,putting words in my mouth,being dismissive and projecting a whole lot on what was said here (to say the least, my goodness). I will never acknowledge your hollow conjecture, it carries no weight .

You're so off the mark on all of this ...all I can say is give it time .

you're out of your depth, uninformed .. & never make assumptions ..

No you're totally off on that,

No it's not like saying that at all. You're way off on this, grasping for straws now.

Contrary to popular opinion, there is nothing nihilistic about these posts.  Yes, someone can be "off base", "off the mark" or "out of their depth", but this implies that there IS a base, mark or depth to be attained if a pilgrim is willing to make the journey.  But to make that journey, the pilgrim must be willing to listen.⁴

Waking up to Reality-- The Call for Enlightenment

When asked if he were a Man or a God, the Buddha replied "I am awake."  Many of the descriptions of enlightenment in eastern literature use the metaphor of wakening from sleep in a traditional state of lowered consciousness.  Similary, the blow of a zen master's staff, although painful, is aimed to heal the recipient by awakening them to higher consciousness.  This theme is reflected in several, James's writings, with the following examples.

Non sequitur my ass. Wake up.

You must be dreaming....

I was talking about the music, wake up please.

What is the state that the reader is to reach from these exhortations?  Nothing short of pure, in-the-moment reality, basking in the wholeness of being, liberated from the baggage of preconceptions, assumptions, and prejudice.  This return to reality is also a hallmark of James's mature prose style.

. Get real.

... Please get real.

Let's be real here.

Right .. considering you are a student and you volunteer i truly doubt you know much about the real world.

.and if you live in the real world and absorb and take in all kinds of contemporary art and life. Please, feed those cliches and myths to someone else.

Clearly, we are to lead a life free from myths and cliches, but if only we are willing to cast off much of what we are.  But is is difficult to break free from the tyranny of habit.  It is for this reason, that James adopted the use of the sacred syllable "Pfff!" in his writings5.  Like the sacred syllable OM, the Pfff can immediate decontextualize its object, and force the reader to confront it directly with not intervening thought processing.  It becomes the thing itself-- no more, no less, as demonstrated below.

pff slayer ..

Zorn pffff ...

The sacred syllable Pfff maintains its ineffable status by appearing with a different number of 'f's in different contexts.  Also, it is no coincidence that Pfff has no vowels-- just like the name of the deity in the Hebraic and Old Testament traditions.  But combining elements of both Eastern and Western traditions, James has unified both in one bold stroke. The Pfff transcends languages, cultures, and civilizations.  It just is.

Except it's not 'you', it's just some more stuff you read elsewhere that's never your own. 'you' offer truly nothing once again and have no clue. just empty derived rhetoric that you paste. please, find yourself.

In summary, James is going to heroic lengths to lead us all to salvation, and to experience reality. He is pleading for all of us to find ourselves.  Is there any higher calling?


The Unbirthing of the Ego
Unfortunately, as part of the human condition, we create our own hells and purgatories, and are often the victims of our attachments and beliefs.   In order to enter the world of pure reality (also known as Utopia, or Jamesland, please see Chapter 48 of this work) it is necessary to break down the ego and re-enter the primal state.  This requires for someone to illustrate the flaws in our logic and belief systems.  Just as TS Elliot meant when he referred to the "sharp compassion of the healer's art", and the sudden blow of the Zen Masters staff, these blows and cuts are administered in a firm but loving manner to help the benighted ones see the error of their reasoning.  We are fortunate that James has devoted so much of his time and energy to point out the errors of our ways, and the inability of our logical and belief systems to appreciate high art.  It is a thankless task, apparently without end.

No it's you that doesn't know a damn thing.

you make no sense.

sorry you dont make much sense, and it doesnt apply at all.

You don't even know what you're talking about ... please stop pretending like you do. We see right through it.

it's you that is worthless i'm afraid.

what on earth are you babbling on about... this is ALL in your head i'm afraid.

What a bunch of longwinded bs.

Dude, with all due respect it's your ears and lack of focus that you come to this conclusion

be careful not to contradict yourself with bullshit now ... t

you (& others) here don't really have much of a perspective

Oh you noticed ... stop contradicting yourself. df

You have no idea what you're talking about...

You're such a windbag ... and full of yourself rambling on and on and on, keep it on topic and get to the point sheesh! Stop it already.

this is more of your own hollow conjecture ...

All you're saying is nothing, just a bunch of blah...you haven't got the slightest clue.

Your words are meaningless to me, just to let you know. I was speaking from experience btw, not conjecture (which covers about 99.9% of your posts).

that would be an epic failure of cogency on your part.

Hot air. You can't tell the difference between Ives, Bartók etc and the utter low level kiddie poop you have been posting, that's clear.

You are confused...You're delusional to think that any of it is truly substantial.

You are sooo confused because you simply can't hear or understand the differences! .... you have no clue bro. I've already explained myself numerous times in the simplest most straight forward manor and you refuse to THINK. You say some major confused bullshit  .. ...  You don't even know what things mean to begin with, you need everything 'defined' for you; there is no point even talking at all because you don't even have a basic understanding of things in general it seems.

You sound like his 'little bitch', are you?  .. and I'm not being dismissive at all, ..

another meaningless googled turd ...  coming from a slayer & twisted sister fan  ..

Except it's not 'you', it's just some more stuff you read elsewhere that's never your own. 'you' offer truly nothing onceagain and have no clue. just empty derived rhetoric that you paste. please, find yourself.

you truly don't know much and are in fact; the one that is "limited".

... but don't you believe in quality control?

Editor's Note:  I'm proud to have been the lucky wretch to  received the preceding post. 

your logic is greatly flawed my friend;

All meaningless jabber, you have no clue. The fact that you want evidence tells me that not only are you confused & lost, but that you are also blind & deaf. Go find yourself. You know, you can listen to an assortment of music, yet still understand it's proper perspective with clarity.

Note the repetition of the "Find Yourself" theme in the previous example.   James' compassion for the unenlightened is both unmistakable and touching.

Sorry you're not thinking deep enough... please get a grip.

In the following passage, James skillfully deflates a reader's "outer" self, and gently nudges him in a spiritual direction.

And you're a musician? Christ ..

Reading that ... you obviously have a VERY narrow understanding .... we're not referring to the 'soft pleasurable easy' stereotypes. Please think.

Dude, I'm not obscuring or pretending anything, it's you who is pretending to be an authority. You're not.

Well at least you have the self-awareness to size-up your scribbles (posts) for what they really are. 

The Passion of St. James:

The preceding discussion makes it quite clear of the redemptive mission James has undertaken to help the rest of us improve our lives.  But the underlying tragedy is the cost to James himself, as it is clear that his bold interventions comes at a physical cost, as is illustrated in the following.

I think your musical diet would quickly give me wind or worse.

? that trash makes me physically ill.

ugh i'm going to be physically ill from listening to that trash. at least i know now to avoid it for the future.

Physically ill from sampling all of this total garbage ... and why is it being posted even?

And most disturbingly--

Well, I almost had an aneurysm trying to answer this one.

There is also the emotional cost and loneliness of being the lone voice crying in the wilderness. 

Sad. Does anyone around here have a thought of their own? Or is it all just cross-referenced tidbit shit they've read elsewhere?

Clearly, the model for James's paradigm must be that of the Bodhisattva, a selfless entity that is prepared to endure the agonies and privations of countless rebirths until they can guide all sentient beings into Nirvana, no matter how long it takes, or how many creatures need to be led to salvation.  And James can be counted on to show the patience of a loving father as we still lag behind.

I just have higher standards & expectations that's all. Enjoy your McDonalds, that's fine.

There is no greater evidence of James's compassion and dedication to this cause than his spirited efforts to spare us from the corrupting influences of film scores-- he has first posted on the topic back in 2008, and has continued his defense every since.  While the vow of the Bodhisattva reads like this:

Beings are numberless, I vow to awaken with them.

James has had the bravery and courage to redefine the vow for our generation.

Condradicted my ass, people here just refuse to face the truth. .

Does he care or does he not?   For anyone with a heart, it is clear that he may care too much.

This research was conducted with generous grants from the Union of Film Music Composers and the McDonalds Corporation.



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1 "Mozart was not only overrated, but he didn't exist." -- Newman, The Illuminati and History of Film Scores , p 23.
2 "Mendelssohn had higher standards, and knew what real art music was, and not the insubstantial ephemera and popular crap found in works such as those by Stockhausen and Zappa" -- Sean, Mendelssohn- The First Serialst

^3. "Um, can't we talk for a minute about some of MY compositions?"-- Henning, The Essential James, 1st Edition

^4. Please consult Chapter 14, James and the Inner Ear, for a detailed analysis of how we can better appreciate art music through adjusting our ears.
5. "Earliest documentation of Pfff in usage has been attributed to neolithic societies in Modern day Turkey." Joseph Campbell, The Raspberry with a Thousand Faces.