Tale of Two Tenors

I guess your homework assignment was meant to humble me with your vast knowledge. Well done. You know, at first I was excited to see a music blog with a classical bent here on The Reader because I love classical music and learning new things about it including happenings around town. I have read some interesting things on your blog but sometimes your opinions are so strong and narrow that it seems like you are just trying to get a reaction. I mean seriously, did you really think that nobody was going to speak up after those ridiculous remarks you made about Pavarotti? Sorry if that was insulting but I found it laughable. Don't worry, you won't see anymore comments from me here. Best of luck.
— December 17, 2010 5:43 p.m.

Tale of Two Tenors

"What Pavarotti lacked was drama, both on the stage and in his voice. Since every note was the same, he couldn't make a dramatic choice with the color of his singing." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! His voice lacked drama, every note was the same... good one! You must be joking because I am laughing like crazy right now. "He was a pretty sound machine." Really? Ouch. "His stage presence was corpulent." Yes, he was fat. Nobody is going to take you seriously if you are going to say things like this about the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World (pun intended).
— December 17, 2010 9:04 a.m.

From the New World

“So with the exception of Porgy and Bess, which some have said was written as propaganda, where are the slave melodies in American classical music?” Wow, where do I begin? Just because Porgy and Bess is about African Americans in the South doesn’t mean it contains field shouts, spirituals, or slave melodies. That music was all original as composed by George Gershwin. And where on earth did you hear that it was written as propaganda? That’s ridiculous. It was sponsored by the US government to be performed overseas during the Cold War as a vehicle for propaganda, but that’s quite a bit different than being written as propaganda. You can read more about it here: http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/ger… I like this quote from that site: “When it was finally completed in July, 1935, the 700 pages of music represented his most ambitious creation and his favorite composition. According to David Ewen, Gershwin's first biographer, he "never quite ceased to wonder at the miracle that he had been its composer. He never stopped loving each and every bar, never wavered in the conviction that he had produced a work of art." This brings up the point I was trying to make in my earlier post… when Dvorak was talking about how Negro melodies “can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition, to be developed in the United States” and that “They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them," this is EXACTLY what happened with jazz and blues which in turn had an enormous affect on American music, the American sound, and “American classical composers.” Anytime you hear a “jazzy” or “bluesy” sound in music, even among “American classical composers,” (is Bernstein respectable enough to be in this esteemed category?) you are hearing the African influence which traces its roots back to the music that slaves brought with them from Africa. Also, your definition of jazz is a little narrow… it’s not all about improvisation. A lot of jazz is compositional. Besides, improvisation has always been a key element of music and goes back to Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven who were all genius improvisers and performed improvisations for audiences. Bach was the original bebopper. It’s all just music and in the case of American music, the African influence is everywhere.
— November 17, 2010 9 a.m.

From the New World

"Unfortunately, American composer have not, in general, turned to these products of the soil." This might be true if you discount one of America's truly original art forms: jazz. This would include American composers such as Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Wynton Marsalis, and George Gershwin to name a few. The very origins of jazz stem directly from African rhythms and melodies, and began developing in New Orleans around the same time Dvorak wrote his 9th Symphony and made the quote you referenced... ironic?
— November 16, 2010 10:31 a.m.

A Chat About Lemon Grove Kid Dennis Hopper

He was also in one of San Diego Junior Theatre's first productions, The Rose and the Ring, in 1952 when they were a wing of The Old Globe. Junior Theatre is still going strong and is the oldest continuing children's theatre program in the COUNTRY. Check out their website for a picture of him in the cast: http://www.juniortheatre.com/history/
— October 25, 2010 11:46 a.m.

My Pants were on, so what was the Big Deal?

Well Garrett, I'm surprised I need to tell you this but the reason you were given rude looks is that you disrespected the community you attempted to join and observe. You were given a simple code of conduct and you blatantly ignored it. It takes a certain amount of humility and empathy to observe the guidelines of another culture even if you don't understand them. Auditions are a pretty big deal for the people involved and you were lucky to be allowed the privilege to observe them. The only thing you had to do was be respectful to their request but you refused and then compared your negative experience to the classical music world as a whole. If you went to someone's home and they asked you to take off your shoes before entering, would you ignore them and then be confused as to why they acted frustrated? Then maybe you would say that anyone who invites you into their home is a jerk if they ask you to take off your shoes first. Lame article.
— October 19, 2010 8:47 a.m.