The New Music Box is a Webzine from
the American Music Center. Along with interesting articles, the editors
maintain several forums for discussion of pertinent topics in contemporary
music. I find these discussions engaging, and offer my own insights
from time to time. Below, I have included three of these postings.
To see the entire discussions, please visit the New
Music Box.
| Date: September 26, 2000 02:22 PM
Author: Craig Leland Sparks (clsparks@erols.com) Subject: On Creating: Living Tradition I've recently been delving into African Philosophy in an attempt to better understand what lures me to so much of the West African drumming and South African praise song. In the process, I've discovered something which seems to run through many of the cultures that sheds a new light on the problem of "Great Music," standards, and even the ethics of composing. And that something is a sort of African approach to the metaphysical. To be is to vibrate, to move, to have a rhythm. And not only is it to vibrate, but its to vibrate in manners which resonate with all of the world around us. For the African, it is not "I think therefore I am." It is, "We are, therefore I am." Now to apply this to the world of music. These old "Masterpieces" are fine, but in order to maintain a Living tradition in music, we MUST continue to create, to move, to grow, and to vibrate. Some of that comes sheerly from the consideration, arguements, and debates that we can see in this forum about the nature of music and history. This maintains our aesthetic and our perspective on music as a living tradition, but it does not sustain Music itself! So why condemn new music for not being what it was before? Secondly, artistic consideration of the audience has recently been brought up in these discussions. Going back to original idea that Being is vibrating and resonating, it is important to realize that, from this perspective, music has power. It is a force in its vibrations and its resonance with other vibrating entities. In this manner, it seems to me to be irresponsible to compose WITHOUT considering the way the music will vibrate and resonate with the audience. I do not mean to suggest that the composer should attempt to predict what his or her audience will bring to the experience; more that the composer is responsible for providing an experience where the vibrations produced have the potential for meaning, growth, understanding; that the music should be conducive to being, and should work to promote a vibrant living tradition. (from General Comments "GREAT MUSIC IS DEAD") |
| Date: October 16, 2000 03:34 AM
Author: Craig Leland Sparks (clsparks@erols.com) Subject: The Problem with Politics from a Different Angle What we do as composers and musicians, and for anyone who pursues a form of art, is difficult. People get offended because art reflects upon the world surrounding us, often offering us glimpses into part of our world that we chose not to look at. Indeed, art is difficult! This is why we are so often accused of being elitist! What we do often isn't immediately understandable. There is a vast amount of knowledge that contextualizes what we do. It isn't that the arts are elitist, it is that it takes hard work and an open mind to build an understanding. Art and immediate gratification aren't the best of bedfellows. And most politicians that I've ever talked to haven't understood this because they haven't put int the work to understand what we do. That's why they're politicians! And these politicians are the same ones who tried to cut funding for my high school music program three years in a row. Every time, concerned parents, students, and teachers came together in defense of the program and managed to maintain the funding for it. Another high school in my area has raised money from the community to finance an auditorium/theater because the county couldn't afford to provide one. Now, I came from a more well-to-do area where my parents, and my friends parents, had been involved in the arts, and were aware of the importance of them. At the same time, it was recently discovered that in inner city Baltimore, an entire generation of children have passed through the school system without ever having the opportunity to sing in a choir or play in a band because those programs were cut. And no school I know of offers exposure to contemporary composition. We have created a vacuum for ourselves, and a lack of understanding. I see the key to all of this as Education and Dialogue. That's why I participate here. More importantly, that's why I look for ways to take what I'm doing out into the community, to open dialogue, and to educate for all ages. All of us as artists have to take responsibility for the culture we create. And culture consists of more than works of art, dance, and music. Culture exists within community. Now, if we, as artists, worked to create in our community an understanding of what the arts are and the value they hold, I believe we would begin to see a change in public attitude, and consequently, public policy towards the arts. This is not to say that, suddenly, new music would no longer need government support, or replace commercial music. Rather, support for new music, and more broadly, new art could move from something our society feels we should do to be "enlightened" or "civilized" to something our society feels we must support because we are enlightened and civilized. If you can't create the changes you want to see by writing your congressman, try talking to your children instead. (from In The Second Person "NEW MUSIC and POLITICS") |
| Date: July 17, 2000 11:04 PM
Author: Craig Leland Sparks (clsparks@erols.com) Subject: Novel Approaches I once proposed to stage one of the Student Composer's Concerts at Towson University as a sort of exhibit. I suggested that we reserve a separate room for every piece. Then, every 20 minutes or so (depending on the longest piece), a new presentation of each piece would occur in their respective rooms. In this way, the audience could design their own listening experience. One listener may choose to listen to the same piece three times trying to catch more. Another may go from room to room to try to listen to it all. I thought this would be a wonderful way to promote dialogue, create an intimate atmosphere, and encourage the audience to be active participants in their listening. Alas, it was not to be. My fellow students didn't feel comfortable breaking out of the concert hall. So instead, we tried to have a question and answer session after the concert. Someday, however, I will stage a concert of original music in this exhibit format. I still think it makes for some interesting possibilities. (from In The Second Person "Attracting a Larger Audience") |