source file: mills2.txt Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 15:21:03 -0800 Subject: Re: Interstylisticism From: Johnny Reinhard As lurkers continue to delurk and we begin to review each other's music, it seems increasingly important to consider interstylisticism versus style preferences. Travelling to make music in different cities often reveal certain preferences in their compositional styles. This is not unlike Wessleyan ethnomusicology flexing performance, while Colubia University considers only anthropology. The American Festival of Microtonal Music has always been interstylistic, which is synonymous with tolerant, open, and eclectic. There has never been any reason to change the programming though I admit it is difficult to ascertain one's objectivity on musical styles. A few questions: Do you consider impovisation inferior or superior to planned composition? Do you have a favoirite music? A music you detest? How do deal with music that has an audience but which simply does not move you personally? When programming I try to recognize styles of music that have an enthusiastic audience and seek out what accounts for the fascination. It's always there to be found. I remember a time when I didn't get jazz. And Brahms was a bore. Now I have learned to dig the color of sound, along with the nuances that make for a Giacinto Scelsi or a La Monte Young. Oh, yeah, I still prefer Eric Dolphy to Dizzy Gillespie, but we're only human. We come in many different varieties and flavors. I still don't like drinking beer. There will never be laws or degrees that determine accomplishment in music creation that are just. Anyone and everyone should be encouraged to express themselves in music. There are no guarantees. >From a proffessional point-of-view there are different expectations. From a playing point of view there can be a virtuosity that can be put in reserve and appear even nonchalant. >From a composer or improvisor there much value is based on the likelihood of repeated listeners in a a release and initial buys. And yet truly original music is almost by definition unlike any thing previously experienced. Sometimes they use unique instruments and are based on completely different philosophies and aesthetics, or in the case of politics (e.g. luigi nono). Johnny Reinhard Director American Festival of Microtonal Music 318 East 70th Street, Suite 5FW New York, New York 10021 USA (212)517-3550/fax (212) 517-5495 reinhard@ios.com Received: from ns.ezh.nl [137.174.112.59] by vbv40.ezh.nl with SMTP-OpenVMS via TCP/IP; Wed, 18 Dec 1996 01:26 +0100 Received: by ns.ezh.nl; (5.65v3.2/1.3/10May95) id AA00889; Wed, 18 Dec 1996 01:28:51 +0100 Received: from eartha.mills.edu by ns (smtpxd); id XA00887 Received: from by eartha.mills.edu via SMTP (940816.SGI.8.6.9/930416.SGI) for id QAA28124; Tue, 17 Dec 1996 16:28:49 -0800 Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1996 16:28:49 -0800 Message-Id: <32B739FB.720A@ix.netcom.com> Errors-To: madole@ella.mills.edu Reply-To: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Originator: tuning@eartha.mills.edu Sender: tuning@eartha.mills.edu