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Hi Jerry,
What is the purpose of this post of yours? What do you hope to gain? Are you trying to silence me? All of these insults, posturing, and amateur psychoanalysis prove nothing. I will not answer you in kind. I have no time to waste on such nonsense. And one thing that you did not talk about was musical aesthetics, or answer my call for greater discrimination and discernment within the realm of concert music. You talked about what Cage hoped to gain by silence. How about a statue of nothing that makes a statement about an empty podium? It is so obsurd it would be funny if it were not so pathetic.
The reason that I use John Cage as an example is that 4'33" is a PERFECT example. What could be less worthy of being called "music" than silence. It isn't even noise. What writer of trash could be less worthy of the noble title of composer than John Cage?
Did you know that John Cage made a very big deal about his claim to have studied with Schoenberg? This claim was especially helpful to him in his early career. Yet Cage does not appear on any class lists or student records of USC, where he claimed to have studied with Schoenberg. When pressed on the matter Schoenberg refused to say anything about Cage. After repeated questions as to whether Cage did or did not study with him, Schoenberg said something about Cage being "very creative." This from a man who took great pride in his legitimate students, writing letters of recommendation and helping them with their careers.
Other students of Schoenberg during the period in which Cage claimed his studies took place have no recollection of John Cage ever being in class, or at the frequent gatherings Schoenberg held at his home. for his pupils. There have been academic papers written to try and reconcile these facts, but no actual evidence of any studies has ever been found, just attempts to obfuscate the simple truth. John Cage falsified his credentials and obviously was a con man.
Until we can once again begin to show some discernment about the quality of musical creations, the audience will continue to become further and further alienated. And they should. It is an intelligent reaction to people like John Cage.
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My purpose is that I hope you gain the self-awareness to recognize that the intensity and vehemence of your opinion about Cage are not about John Cage or modernism in general, or music. It's about your anxiety about who you are. And by the way, though you wrote above you will "not answer me in kind", you did exactly that, you answered me.
You wrote "we cannot ever erase the damage done by Cage and his ilk". And exactly what damage did he do? He offended your sense of beauty? You call that damage? Men and women who do damage are people who rob, steal, rape and harass women, start wars, drive drunk, and who charge obscene prices for basic human needs. THOSE are the people who cause damage. My God, get some perspective!
What this is about for me is witnessing a reactionary intolerance to traditions and creativity outside of one person's (yours) definition of culture. Everyone has the right to reject any artist they want to, I have no argument that Cage isn't your cup of tea, I've never been inspired by his work either. But it's not your opinion that caught my attention, it's the vehemence.
A cultural fundamentalist cannot, or will not, recognize that change is the very nature of all things on earth. With fundamentalism, whether it be religious, economic or artistic fundamentalism, every value, ideal and sense of what is "pure" is rigidly adhered to and intolerance to ideas outside of the fundamentalist belief system is reacted to with a fierce animosity, as you demonstrate so clearly in your diatribe against Cage. With such vitriol against a man who merely expressed himself artistically the way he saw fit, how can I help but suspect your ego is threatened by creativity and ideas outside of your own traditions? THAT is what you ought to be confronting. The fragility of ego is on display here, and believe me, everyone has trouble with ego, including me. The bible calls it pride, in modern day terminology we usually call it ego.
Posturing, insults? You got to be kidding! I am just telling you how I perceive your comments, it's none of my business whether you take them constructively or whether you just keep getting more defensive and angry. It's your choice.
Jerry