David Hurwitz

Started by Scion7, January 11, 2016, 06:42:39 PM

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Karl Henning

Quote from: Brian on January 12, 2016, 05:09:17 AM
Ebert's Great Movie series is maybe his greatest achievement, and for me an essential part of watching a classic film. If somebody chooses to ignore all the critics, this is one of the things they are missing: how fascinating and eye-opening it can be to hear an expert explain to you just why a great thing is great.

Critics are often seen (especially here) as serving an essentially negative function, by saying they don't like things and slinging insults. And this is an essential service in some cases, like when you want people to avoid an awful restaurant or avoid an awful movie.

But critics are, in fact, at their most useful when they help you appreciate a great thing even more. Robert Schumann's writings on his contemporaries; Ralph Ellison's essays about jazz; numerous commentaries on Shakespeare (I have collections by Marjorie Garber and David Bevington); Alex Ross's The Rest is Noise; Vagn Holmboe's essay about why he admires Haydn; the essays of David Foster Wallace, Joan Didion, John Jeremiah Sullivan, Christopher Hitchens, etc.; Roger Ebert's Great Movies series.

There's hardly a more misunderstood profession than critic. Ugh: Maybe that's why I ended up in it. But as an idealist, I see it as an opportunity not just to advocate for things (like Ebert advocated for the young Scorsese) but to deepen people's understanding of the art, why they love it, and what makes it work.

Intelligent and sensitive criticism is an important contribution.

Bringing it back 'round to the OP, Hurwitz is here something of a blunt instrument, so I contest the review's value as a contribution.

On one hand, (poco) Sfz's point is well taken, that [intelligent and sensitive] negative criticism may give us more and better insight upon a piece or performance than an uncritically positive review.  On the other, two considerations:

There is the need for what Alan (and he was perhaps citing Ruskin) refers to as "the listener's share":  that for fair assessment of the work, and genuine insight, some degree of sympathy with the artist's aims is necessary.  And I suspect I may possibly be misusing "the listener's share" here . . . .

And (while I do not absolutely know this to be the case with the Persichetti) say we have only one recording available of a piece which may be little understood not only by the general public, but perhaps even by musical professionals.  I think there needs to be room for critiquing a recording/performance of a piece, without mistaking that for necessarily a true profile of the musical work – we take that for granted with literature for which there are ample recordings (the LvB symphonies, e.g.).  Critics ought to have wit enough to separate dissatisfaction with a given listening experience, from the nature of a composition.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Karl Henning

Quote from: Brian on January 12, 2016, 05:13:49 AM
I also question the idea that music critics should refrain from saying "this composer is second-rate." Movie, book, painting, etc. critics do that all the time. And, while we can certainly talk about the language and the tone which a specific music critic uses, in general the idea of evaluating the worth of music is, frankly, the whole damn point!

On one hand, I affirm the validity of your questioning that.

On the other, I wonder if, whenever (or if ever) a critic goes into print reacting to music of mine, his honest reaction will be to dismiss me as a second-rate composer.  I should resent it, of course;  and I may have only my own vanity interfering with my accepting the verdict.  But I am certainly trying to be first-rate.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Florestan

Quote from: Brian on January 12, 2016, 05:09:17 AM
But critics are, in fact, at their most useful when they help you appreciate a great thing even more. Robert Schumann's writings on his contemporaries; Ralph Ellison's essays about jazz; numerous commentaries on Shakespeare (I have collections by Marjorie Garber and David Bevington); Alex Ross's The Rest is Noise; Vagn Holmboe's essay about why he admires Haydn; the essays of David Foster Wallace, Joan Didion, John Jeremiah Sullivan, Christopher Hitchens, etc.; Roger Ebert's Great Movies series.

Maybe this is exactly the problem some people seem to have with critics. They somehow feel they are being forced somebody´s else opinion down their throat. Now, that many a composer expressed disdain for critics, is only too natural, all things considered. But we laymen might just not be that smart or that knowledgeable as we think we are so as not to need, or at the very least accept and consider, somebody´s else opinion, especially when that somebody knows about music and its technicalities more than we could ever hope to learn.

The final decision is of course individual (a thing Hurwitz himself acknowledged in his review), but there is no reason to reject beforehand what a professional critic has to say.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Florestan

Quote from: karlhenning on January 12, 2016, 05:28:51 AM
I wonder if, whenever (or if ever) a critic goes into print reacting to music of mine, his honest reaction will be to dismiss me as a second-rate composer. 

You´ll then be in the honorable companionship of Richard Strauss.  :D
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: karlhenning on January 12, 2016, 05:28:51 AM
On one hand, I affirm the validity of your questioning that.

On the other, I wonder if, whenever (or if ever) a critic goes into print reacting to music of mine, his honest reaction will be to dismiss me as a second-rate composer.  I should resent it, of course;  and I may have only my own vanity interfering with my accepting the verdict.  But I am certainly trying to be first-rate.

And if a critic of significance in the Boston area happens to hear one of your pieces and responds favorably, it could be a major stepping-stone in your musical career.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Karl Henning

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 12, 2016, 05:41:58 AM
And if a critic of significance in the Boston area happens to hear one of your pieces and responds favorably, it could be a major stepping-stone in your musical career.

Indeed. I should learn not to cease hoping that this may happen.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: karlhenning on January 12, 2016, 05:25:26 AM
On one hand, (poco) Sfz's point is well taken, that [intelligent and sensitive] negative criticism may give us more and better insight upon a piece or performance than an uncritically positive review.

Schumann once wrote word to the effect: the critic who is afraid to attack something bad is only a half-hearted supporter of something good.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Karl Henning

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 12, 2016, 05:44:49 AM
Schumann once wrote word to the effect: the critic who is afraid to attack something bad is only a half-hearted supporter of something good.

Fair enough.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: karlhenning on January 12, 2016, 05:43:55 AM
Indeed. I should learn not to cease hoping that this may happen.

But perhaps there needs more proactivity on your part, to bring your name to greater attention. It is beyond me for instance, having heard some of his music, why Nico Muhly has come to such prominence - even to the point of having an opera done at the Met - but I can only conclude he has a shameless genius for self-promotion.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Florestan

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 12, 2016, 05:41:58 AM
And if a critic of significance in the Boston area happens to hear one of your pieces and responds favorably, it could be a major stepping-stone in your musical career.

+ 1.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Mirror Image

Quote from: karlhenning on January 12, 2016, 02:51:20 AM
No critics/reviewers have ever discussed my work in print (or pixels), so the question remains entirely abstract.

I've been writing for some while, and feel reasonably confident in my work and abilities.  So I don't think any negative review would "shake" me, as it might well a young composer who is trying to make his way in the musical world. I even wonder (though one must be careful of what one wishes for) whether a real stinker of a negative review would not be preferable to the decades of nothing, on Oscar Wilde's principle that "the only worse thing than being talked about is not being talked about."

Don't worry, my friend, your time in the sun will come. I just hope it's not too late when it happens. I think if I was a composer, I wouldn't let a negative review shake me either as I'm reminded of this quote from Max Reger in relation to a critics negative review: "I am in the smallest room of the house. I have your review in front of me. Soon it will be behind me." :)

Madiel

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 12, 2016, 05:53:06 AM
I'm reminded of this quote from Max Reger in relation to a critics negative review: "I am in the smallest room of the house. I have your review in front of me. Soon it will be behind me." :)

This genuinely made me burst out laughing very loudly.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Mirror Image


Karl Henning

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 12, 2016, 05:47:36 AM
But perhaps there needs more proactivity on your part, to bring your name to greater attention.

I feel I am quite proactive, which is not to gainsay your suggestion.  I do tirelessly invite the Boston Music Intelligencer to attend and review performances which include my music;  but they have never yet done so.

But I must never become complacent or resigned.

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 12, 2016, 05:53:06 AM
Don't worry, my friend, your time in the sun will come. I just hope it's not too late when it happens.

Thanks for the kind thought. When it happens, it happens.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Florestan

Quote from: Mirror Image on January 12, 2016, 05:53:06 AM
I'm reminded of this quote from Max Reger in relation to a critics negative review: "I am in the smallest room of the house. I have your review in front of me. Soon it will be behind me." :)

Quite possibly the best review of anything, ever.  :D
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: orfeo on January 12, 2016, 05:56:21 AM
This genuinely made me burst out laughing very loudly.

And I find it tiresome (as well as an overfamiliar cliché). Who listens to Reger today? The critic may have been entirely on point.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

(poco) Sforzando

Quote from: karlhenning on January 12, 2016, 06:03:56 AM
I feel I am quite proactive, which is not to gainsay your suggestion.  I do tirelessly invite the Boston Music Intelligencer to attend and review performances which include my music;  but they have never yet done so.

Perhaps there are other sources you are not approaching. Granted, what makes one career take off rather than another is hard to fathom, and may not necessarily reflect the merits of the work. It could be an entirely fortuitous combination of merit, luck, self-promotion, and just being in the right place at the right time.
"I don't know what sforzando means, though it clearly means something."

Florestan

Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Mirror Image

Quote from: (poco) Sforzando on January 12, 2016, 06:08:03 AM
And I find it tiresome (as well as an overfamiliar cliché). Who listens to Reger today? The critic may have been entirely on point.

Sheesh....lighten up.

Florestan

At least Reger is known by his name, as opposed to "a critic".  :)
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini