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Re: [microsound] "Academic" computer music?
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I think part of the problem is that the word academic is not very
useful. Sometimes it's not even accurate, as academies in the strict
sense are not the only place where music is taught. I used quotes with
it because I hate the term so much, but I assumed people would kind of
know what it meant. Guess I was wrong! But I'm never sure what to call
this stuff. "Serious" music is horrible. "Concert" music is worse,
because it's not accurate. "New music" or "contemporary music" might be
better, but is also so vague it could include Michael Bolton (whose work
is sometimes described as "adult contemporary"). But I do see kind of a
divide between the glitchy style of microsound and "computer music" in
the sense I am thinking of. And I see it as being kind of two-tiered.
But I have a hard time articulating why. Maybe it's the difference
between the music I learned about in school and the music I learned
about after leaving school.
Phil
<-----Original Message----->
>
>From: Bill Jarboe
>Sent: 3/7/2003 2:52:05 PM
>To: microsound@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: [microsound] "Academic" computer music?
>
>on 3/7/03 8:31 AM, Richard Zvonar at zvonar@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> At 1:21 PM +0100 3/7/03, Massimiliano Viel wrote:
> I would call 'academic composer' a composer who is recognized in a
tradition.
>
> At 10:25 PM -0800 3/6/03, Bill Jarboe wrote:
>
>> The reason I mentioned those people is that they 'teach' techniques ,
>> viewpoints , aesthetics that have had an effect on my perception of
what
>> computer music is. I'm not thinking of academic as someone holding
tenure or
>> having a phD.
>
> These are certainly reasonable interpretations of the word "academic"
> but it's a third, rather pejorative usage that I was reacting to. As
> one who passed through the hallowed halls and then chose to remain
> outside them, I've usually used that word (and I spell it "akademic")
> to refer to something didactic, doctrinaire, ossified rather than as
> a neutral reference to music history and education.
>
>I see it as something like 'church' ,' having babies'; something which
>exists as an institution yet also is an organic phenomenon; something
which
>resides within the human and is a natural outcropping created by those
who
>congregate and seek the truth. It's certainly useful to have doctors ,
>midwives and oxygen machines handy yet one can produce something
equally
>valid without them.
>
>To me it isn't a 'whatever' proposition . There is a clear difference
>between a course of study with clearly defined goals taking into
>consideration the sum of human knowledge published about the subject
and
>just 'surfing the sea of humanity' , making an impression or trying to
>obtain items of value by physical force.
>
> I've also worked with and socialized with some of these people.
> Pauline and Mort are decidedly anomalous within the university scene
> as a whole, though they tend to teach within institutions that run a
> bit contrary to the akademic.
>
>I sometimes wonder; does something have to be really dry sounding to be
>considered academic? If there is just huge amounts of reverb is it
>considered bedwetting and therefore to be avoided?
>
>There is also the matter of physicality. If a person gets wildly
excited
>about a piece of music and starts leaping about is it still academic?
>Does one then get relegated to drama or dance?
>
>There seems to be a psychological need for sort of slack muscled ,
vaguely
>inaccesible demi-gods to help the human race figure out what is
intellectual
>and what isn't , as if staying in one spot for a long period of time
helps
>one settle the elements and therefore is enabling in the detection of
>nuance.
>
> Xenakis, who was a marvelous teacher, did so as a sort of renegade.
> His time at Indiana was a particularly good example of how he was
> viewed (and shamefully treated) by the musical establishment.
>
>(For some reason) I visualize an opera titled 'Xenakis in Indiana'
starring
>a group of frat-boys and their girlfriends who sit around and figure
out bad
>versions of .38 special tunes , Foghat etc.. There is an occasional
>dismissive reference to a foreign guy with half his face blown off.
There
>are also run-ins with academic types who can't figure out a .38 special
tune
>even badly... I'd give away the ending except this may be a fragment of
my
>career 15 years from now.
>
>
>(just a few thoughts)
>
>
>Bill
>
>
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