Reginald Smith Brindle (right) talking to Danish guitarist Erling Moldrup, image courtesy of Moldrup's site.
Summing up in the general musical scene, it would seem that the major period of avant-gardism is past, and the most radical upheaval in musical history is over. For a while it seemed that genius could only be expressed through the greatest complexity and erudition, but in the end, it would seem rather that true genius lies where the profoundest thoughts are expressed with the greatest directness and lucidity. But while it seems certain that the sound jungles of Répons lead to non-communication, it is enigmatic as to what simple musical language can become a vehicle for our deepest feelings. Perhaps that is the next musical revolution. Nevertheless the avant-garde period has revealed a vitality in music which by comparion, makes the other arts seem in decline.Reginald Smith Brindle; The New Music ('Conclusions -1986'.)
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2 comments:
I bet it's not the profoundest thought about the topic.
"Domaines (- not Repons, though -)can now be seen as one of the key works of the 20th century, on the same level as Stravinsky's Rite of Spring or Berg's Wozzeck."
(from the cover of the harmonia mundi CD, 2001). They call it an "astounding piece". Not a word about non-communication...
I don't think Smith Brindle was a big fan of Repons, just his opinion.
Re Domaines, that's a personal favourite, one of Boulez's best but for some reason it doesn't get discussed very often, I have that harmonia mundi CD, infact it was my 'piece of the week' a while back (one in a possible series of 'pieces of the week' that never really got going.)
http://complementinversion.blogspot.com/2008/03/piece-of-week-beg-170308.html
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