source file: mills2.txt Date: Sun, 10 Mar 1996 18:37:56 -0800 Subject: Bitter criticism From: "Adam B. Silverman" I want to jump on this issue before anything gets out of hand, and append my comments on the new CD of Partch's "Bitter Music". I did not intend to support serious censorship of a performance, but rather pose the consideration that Partch's music must be gingerly presented, since it treads the fine line between high art and folk art. I am of the opinion that it could (and must) be judged, therefore, with the high standards we use to review a concert of any fine opera. Most people cannot play piano, and their opinion of "Bitter Music" will therefore be based on a recorded version. This version should therefore be only of the utmost passionate and skillful rendering. Perhaps someone should take this journal and make it into a grainy film, starring Tom Waits as Harry, with the piano parts arranged for guitar, harmonium, and viola. As I said before, I am not a critic except in my own armchair, and I probably should have kept this judgement between my dog and myself. Although I stand by my opinion of the work's rendering, I apologize to Warren for the unwarranted confrontation. I appreciate his efforts to get the work before more people, and hope that no hard feelings linger. Adam Received: from eartha.mills.edu [144.91.3.20] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Mon, 11 Mar 1996 05:36 +0100 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id UAA24078; Sun, 10 Mar 1996 20:35:20 -0800 Date: Sun, 10 Mar 1996 20:35:20 -0800 Message-Id: <199603110434.AA16684@eceserv0.ece.wisc.edu> Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu