Opinions on modern music

Althea

New member
I am new to this forum and would like to know people's opinions on contemporary/avant garde music, and if possible where I can find more information. Please help me! Thank you.
 

hitsware

New member
>I am new to this forum and would like to know people's opinions on contemporary/avant garde music,

?? contemorary / avant garde ...

Could you elaborate on your definitions ?

To me 'contemorary' is 'popular' like 'top 40'
'avante garde' is like beatnik stuff ....
Sorta 'undiscovered' .......
and if possible where I can find more information. Please help me! Thank you.

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Pamadu

Civilian
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Welcome to MIMF Althea.....that is First.
Second is....You should have made this Post in the Next Section,as it states "Classical Music......covering Modern(Contempory/AvanteGarde)....etc."
Third is.....If You are "Serious" about your Question,and I am sure that if Captain Corno was here,he would agree with me....You ask about "Genre' covered in the Modernistic Period,too "Loosely & Broadly" etc. and your wording is similar to a New Member who asked about Opera (Dark Opera with Piano/Violin & Sopranos).It is "Absurd" to ask such a Question as this without "narrowing it down" (my apologies if I am wrong & No Offence is intended). I am always willing to share my knowledge.....when You come back and tell us what you really want to know....We can take it from there. Cheers
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Pamadu/Paul. Commodore.
 

Frederik Magle

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Regulator
(moved this thread to "classical")

Welcome to MIMF, Althea!!
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I've moved this to the "classical" section where I believe it belongs, unless your definition of "contemporary" is the same as hitsware.

Contemporary/avant garde music is a VERY broad field. Basically it simply means music composed in "our" time. Generally, it should mostly apply to the "classical" field rather than the "top40" but that may be debated.

The expression "avant garde" means "ahead of it's time", and has been rather inflated in my opinion. Just about anything can be called avant garde (and has been) but only very little is avant garde. Mostly the real avant garde music is not called so... at least not in it's own time.

Please tell us more about what it is you would like to find out, narrow it down a little for us so we can better help. What is your interest in the field? General curiosity or something more specific?
 

Althea

New member
Thank you all for responding. I guess what I mean is the music generally composed in the mid 1900's to recent times and is often performed in symphonies I have attended. Usually when such pieces are performed, the audience, mainly me and the people I am with, don't quite, um, appreciate it as much as we should. I am wondering why they continue to include these works in almost every program and if it hurts the orchestra financially or the amount of attendees. I hope this makes more sense?
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hitsware

New member
>don't quite, um, appreciate it as much as we should. I am wondering why they continue to include these works in almost every program and if it hurts the orchestra financially or the amount of attendees.

I don't know too much about classical music, but I will venture a response. 'New' pieces (in pop music as well) have a problem with acceptance. People go to a show with a sort of preconception of what they are going to hear. (whether it be Bach's such and such or the latest by Britney Spears) Anything new may throw their plan out of whack. BUT ! If no new music is played, how can music advance? There would be no reason for people to produce new music if no one will perform it. I'm sure the people that produce concerts consider this in their 'bottom line' Perhaps as a 'contribution to the arts'?
 

Pamadu

Civilian
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Hi Althea.....Thanks for explaining to me in your PM that this is a "College Project" etc....Certainly,Hitsware has offered a Good explaination in his Last Post,to the Last part of your Question...."Why do they still play it etc....." The First Part is very involved.....The Modern/Avant-Garde movement had great problems in the early 1900's......If You have a Copy of The "Oxford Companion of Music"....go to the sections on "Modernism & AvantGarde & Twentieth Century Music" and it explains it all there...I would only be repeating a lot here and also what I teach my Pupils....Althea...It is 1-30am Wednesday Morning here,in Australia..14th April....Later in the Morning....I will send to your Email "Study Notes" used here at the University on that Subject....after I have a Sleep
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You will see that Pre World War 1 & 2 had one Idea....and Post World War 2....it has gone in a different Direction.
Leave it with me....and will get paperwork over to you........Cheers
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Pamadu/Paul.
EDIT.!!!!!!! But I am sure You will get others offering their comments here as well as My Notes....I am "Far from the Expert" but had same Question when I was Training.
"The ONLY way to Learn is to ASK Questions"....All at MIMF will try to Help.
 

Althea

New member
Again, thank you, I will try to get hold of the book from the library, hope they have it. Still researching...
 

Althea

New member
And wow--I don't think I could answer at 1:30 am and make sense, unless I absolutely had to!
 

Pamadu

Civilian
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Althea....Remember to look for the "Oxford Companion of Music" (Big Thick Book or 2 Volumes), NOT the "Oxford Dictionary of Music"....also at the Big Town Library,they will Have "Groves Music"....That is the Musicians Bible.....Also Type into "GOOGLE" the subject names I gave you and different combinations...You will see Things come up there.....Avant-Garde also covers Painting/Writing etc. etc. as well as Music.....Really as Frederik has said,The Arts/Music in OUR time the 20/21st Century.(1900's to the Now).....Come this weekend....I will have more Time,and will get on to it then. Hope You have found something...BUT it is a very "Complex" Subject...Cheers
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Pamadu/Paul.
EDIT.!!!!!!
There is a Link to "Groves Enclyclopedia ONLINE" but it is NOT like "Brittanica Online"....You have to be a Subscriber.
 

Jamie

Banned
I will also help my boss on this for you over the next few days.in fact,we have just done this at University. mind blowing topic
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Regards Jamie
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edit.......the Oxford Book is the one to go for
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Jamie

Banned
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You will have to let us ALL know how the 'speech' went, and the whole project. hope what Pamadu and Me sent was of some Help.???? Regards. Jamie
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Althea

New member
Sorry I've taken so long.
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Thank you all for the help, it really made the speech a lot easier! I ended up with a B+ because the teacher said it was too opinionated
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but I think it went well besides that.
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And, I found something that I'm really interested in and a good place to discuss music!

Althea
 

corno

Vice Admiral of Notes, Dots & at times also Slurs
Sr. Regulator
welcome aboard...
feel free to share your knowledge about the topic at hand...
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madoherty

New member
Well, it appears that I am reviving an old stream of conversation, though, I would like to chime in a bit...

I have found it very difficult to find other composers who are involved in ACOUSTIC/chamber avant garde music. There seems to be a whole lot out there on the "pop" end (experimental / noise bands etc.), and a lot of new digital music, but so very few serious composers of "new music", that is avant, experimental, that is directly descendent from the 20th century modernist composers- or am I just missing it?

I could be looking in the wrong places. I was hoping to connect with others here...

-Michael
 

smittims

New member
In my experience the problem is one of listening. Duriong the early 20th century the speed of change in the evolution of new music speeded up enormously; compare 'Ein Heldenleben' , which was state of the art in 1898, with Schoenberg's 'Five Pieces' iop.16, of only ten years later.

But the habit of active listening suffered a decline, largely due to the introoduction of replayable recorded music, the 'I can listen to it later' syndrome. Few eol nowadats listen withbthe intensity that they did before recordings came along.

If you do (and I did 30 years ago when I discovered Webern) then it is not 'difficult ' at all. All you need to do is put aside yuor preconceptiions about what musuc ouggh to siound like and tell yourself to lsten to what you hear, with an open mind,a dn see what you make of it.

You will need to concentrate, but, believe me, it's worth it. My life has ben enrigched byu listening to the later works of Boulez, such a s 'Repons' 'Sur Incises' and '...explosante-fixe...', and by the symphonies of Per Norgaard.
 

madoherty

New member
I like what you have to say. Your comments about listening, and the recording industry ring true for me.

I appreciate your suggestions of composers, and will investigate those.

What I am looking for, as a composer, is a community of composers of what Udo Kasemets calls "living music"- contemporary art music, new music, avant garde, experimental (...). Are there specific recording labels, forums, lists, etc. that anyone knows of?

Thank you thank you thank you for your assistance.
 

Althea

New member
I know that I came across earlier in this topic as one who hates avant garde music, but I do find your type of work fascinating, just am a little old fashioned as to what I expect to hear in certain settings.
I really would like to experience the music where it was written to be and even explained, but my computer won't download such files. Hope I've cleared any reputation as a closed minded old fashioned weird person I may have had.

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Or maybe I'll stay weird
 

hitsware

New member
I know that I came across earlier in this topic as one who hates avant garde music, but I do find your type of work fascinating, just am a little old fashioned as to what I expect to hear in certain settings.
I really would like to experience the music where it was written to be and even explained, but my computer won't download such files. Hope I've cleared any reputation as a closed minded old fashioned weird person I may have had.

tongue.gif
Or maybe I'll stay weird

http://home.comcast.net/~jhyamamoto/blmd.mid

I did this using 'alegoric (music based on math)'
methods. Sorta sounds like jazz ???????
 
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