Hi Wayne
very interesting response. I dont know in what world I would consider you as having shortcomings. You are a master in Haydn's classical style (I am certainly not) and that kind of craftsmanship is not easy to achieve.
The fact that you acknowledge that Salonen's music is something different but just not what your preference shows that you are not in any 'comfort zone' and are willing to acknowledge that classical music has a wider meaning. And I am in no way "higher" level in music appreciation than you. I am myself struggling and trying to figure out what classical music means today. (btw anyone can post a YT video like I did, but you post YOUR music here, so we are not even comparable)
Coming back to my post, what fascinates me is that Esa Pekka Salonen himself conducts ALL classical music, from Bach to Haydn to Mozart to Mahler all the way to 20th century music. So he is aware of the entire genre in all its detail but yet creates something different. So there must be a methodolgy, and I am curious to know what it is.
I once attended a live performance of Salonen's "LA Variations". I was so blown away by the sound and the incredible range of textures (they were just so beautiful and powerful...it was like Rite od Spring multiplied by 10) that when I walked out of the concert hall I though everything I was doing was a waste of time and there is no way I can achieve that level of craftsmanship. I can understand how music went from Bach to Haydn, counterpoint and all leading to the symphonic strucure and sonata form etc., and how Beethoven transformed music from classical to romantic and how Brahms carried that through and all the way to Mahler, who to me was the culmination of all music before him. I can even appreciate how Stravinsky takes the same structure and builds entirely new soundscapes and harmonies. I can even appreciate a bit of Charles Ives who wrote neoclassical pieces...
But beyond that its hard to see how classical music evolved to where it is now. Not even today, but even going back to 1913 music changed so much...when Charles Ives' finished his fourth of July (
). This was another piece which when I heard live I felt I couldnt hear any music for a week that would satisfy me. When I heard LA variations I could not connect it with anything I heard before, while still being shocked and amazed by the orchestration and recognizing it as great art. Perhaps thats the way people felt on hearing 'Eroica' or 'Rite of Spring' or even Mozart in the 18th century with his 'gastly' scales.
Wayne since we both love 'classical music' I bet you would enjoy these 20th century pieces if you heard them live...and see how powerful the orchestration and instrumental combinations are.
In anycase if I only could write beautiful symphonies and concertos like you I would be happy enough!
Cheers
Anand