David Hurwitz

[Brian]

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.

This of course goes back to what it means to be a GOOD critic. I have gotten to (or been forced to - MW just sent me an unrequested CD of someone from Norway I've never heard of) review probably 40-50 contemporary composers, and because the composer is still alive, it's best to focus on what their voice is, and what they're trying to do, and rather than passing judgment on if they're "second-rate", I try to communicate to the MW readers whether they would like it or not. If a reader can finish the review and think, "that does/does not sound interesting to me," that's my goal.

The reason being simple. Composers evolve, go through "periods," change their styles. Imagine somebody reviewing Janacek when he was your age! Back in college, I learned this lesson very vividly when I wrote negatively about a guy's new student work for the school magazine, then went to his next concert and was so entranced I became a fan for life. (Damage was already done. Dude hates me.)

[(poco) Sforzando]

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 -

Easy to say. You're not a composer and have not been in the situation. As noted above, Barber was devastated by the negative reviews of the opera he wrote to inaugurate the new Met at Lincoln Center. It colored the remainder of his life, led to alcoholism and depression, and we're talking here about a widely and justly admired composer. Anyone can write a clever comment like Reger's in a snit, but the very fact he wrote it shows that it did very much affect him.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Sheesh....lighten up.

So having nothing valid to say, you resort to personal attack.

[Karl Henning]

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.

Good suggestion:  I should see if there are avenues I have neglected.

[Karl Henning]

This of course goes back to what it means to be a GOOD critic. I have gotten to (or been forced to - MW just sent me an unrequested CD of someone from Norway I've never heard of) review probably 40-50 contemporary composers, and because the composer is still alive, it's best to focus on what their voice is, and what they're trying to do, and rather than passing judgment on if they're "second-rate", I try to communicate to the MW readers whether they would like it or not. If a reader can finish the review and think, "that does/does not sound interesting to me," that's my goal.

The reason being simple. Composers evolve, go through "periods," change their styles. Imagine somebody reviewing Janacek when he was your age! Back in college, I learned this lesson very vividly when I wrote negatively about a guy's new student work for the school magazine, then went to his next concert and was so entranced I became a fan for life. (Damage was already done. Dude hates me.)

I richly appreciate the many notes which this post strikes.

[knight66]

So having nothing valid to say, you resort to personal attack.

Careful both please. I would like some time to myself this afternoon.

Knight

[Mirror Image]

Easy to say. You're not a composer and have not been in the situation. As noted above, Barber was devastated by the negative reviews of the opera he wrote to inaugurate the new Met at Lincoln Center. It colored the remainder of his life, led to alcoholism and depression, and we're talking here about a widely and justly admired composer. Anyone can write a clever comment like Reger's in a snit, but the very fact he wrote it shows that it did very much affect him.

Of course it was easy to say, because I was speaking hypothetically. Thankfully, Barber still was able to compose and regain some of his confidence. As for the Reger quote, I found it amusing and I only included because I enjoy joking around with people. The quote wasn't meant to be dissected and taken apart.

[Mirror Image]

So having nothing valid to say, you resort to personal attack.

Oh, now I'm personally attacking you? Okay.

[Gurn Blanston]

Having written all of that; the most acrimonious outbreak of firefighting I ever recall was started on a Haydn String Quartets thread, (probably on the old site).

Knight

If you are going to have a hammer-fight, it is best that it is something worth pulling out your hammer about!  0:)

That said, I also want to reinforce what Knight was saying here; we have new members who came here, after watching for a long time, specifically because our community was more harmonious than almost any other on the 'Net. We need to make every effort to keep it that way and not return to the Wild, Wild, West of yesteryear.

That said, Hurwitz is an ass. There are, however, worthwhile critics who don't have an ax to grind all the time.

[Jo498]

Reger also dedicated a violin sonata to his critics in which he used musical motives "a-f-f-e" and "es-c-h-a-f" (meaning ape/monkey and sheep; in German h is b and es is e flat, cf. Shostakovich's signature D S C H)

There is a song by Hugo Wolf where the critic is kicked down the stairs after a visit at a composer; I can't recall the title of the piece right now, though.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Thankfully, Barber still was able to compose and regain some of his confidence.

But the reviews of that opera devastated him - he would never refer to A+C by name, but instead called it "My Disaster." Yes, he composed some more, but his output trickled and the effect on his personal life was disastrous.

[Rinaldo]

It helps to have a knowledge of the critic and his/her likes, dislikes, foibles, weaknesses, etc. For example, Dave Hurwitz really loves huge early 20th century romantic orchestral works, and I've found that if he gives a 10/10 to some obscure 70-minute symphony, I'm probably going to hate it. But once you have mapped out these sketches of who a critic is, even reviews you disagree with can be very very valuable. I hate "Santa Fe Listener." But I know if he gives an album 3 stars, it's an essential purchase.

I always maintained that a good critic should be able to convey preferences through the writing, even if it's the first thing you've read (although familiarity obviously helps). And as for disagreeing with a review - that's what I loved about Ebert, who taught me how to appreciate opinions differing from my own. A critics' job is not to say what you should be thinking, but what he / she thinks.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Oh, now I'm personally attacking you? Okay.

I'm not going to pursue this with you, John. Be honest to the effect you are having.

[Madiel]

And I find it tiresome (as well as an overfamiliar cliché). Who listens to Reger today? The critic may have been entirely on point.

*shrug* So I'll write a positive review of the joke, and you'll right a negative one. And our readers will make of that what they will.

As to who listens to Reger today, I can't give you names and addresses but I'm quite certain they exist.

[Rinaldo]

Quite possibly the best review of anything, ever. 

My favourite is Christgau obliterating Lee Hazlewood's Poet, Fool or Bum with a single word: Bum.

[(poco) Sforzando]

The quote wasn't meant to be dissected and taken apart.

What is in the quote is a matter of interpretation. Yes, it's funny. But the very fact that Reger chose to pursue it, is evidence enough of his prickly and defensive nature.

[(poco) Sforzando]

My favourite is Christgau obliterating Lee Hazlewood's Poet, Fool or Bum with a single word: Bum.

Or W.S. Gilbert visiting some actor, I think Beerbohm Tree, backstage and saying, "My dear fellow: good is not the word!"

Or Dorothy Parker writing of Katharine Hepburn: "She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B."

[Mirror Image]

But the reviews of that opera devastated him - he would never refer to A+C by name, but instead called it "My Disaster." Yes, he composed some more, but his output trickled and the effect on his personal life was disastrous.

Keywords from my post are "some confidence". How many times are you going to tell me about Barber and the critic? I already was well aware of how Barber's music changed after the failure of Antony and Cleopatra and what his mental state was during those declining years.

[Karl Henning]

As to who listens to Reger today, I can't give you names and addresses but I'm quite certain they exist.

I do. Not all that frequently, perhaps; but I do.

[Madiel]

I do. Not all that frequently, perhaps; but I do.

I should probably just go see if we have a composer discussion thread to hunt down other likely suspects...

Not that I care, personally, beyond deflating a rather over-inflated rhetorical question. I've heard of Reger, I'm aware of the general style of his music, and that can only be because others have mentioned his name and have been listening to him.