Music, Modernism, and The Twilight of The Elites - Jacobin

11.3.
2015
Music,Modernism,andtheTwilightoftheElites|Jacobin
Music,Modernism,
andtheTwilightof
theElites
By now it is becoming hard to remember that,
at the peak of its popularity and influence,
classical music carried with it an undeniable
intellectual and even moral authority, qualities
which would rub off on composers and
performers such as Aaron Copland, Leonard
Bernstein, Albert Schweitzer, Pierre Boulez,
Van Cliburn and Igor Stravinsky, all of []
by John Halle
Bynowitisbecominghardtorememberthat,atthepeakofitspopularity
andinfluence,classicalmusiccarriedwithitanundeniableintellectualand
evenmoralauthority,qualitieswhichwouldruboffoncomposersand
performerssuchasAaronCopland,LeonardBernstein,AlbertSchweitzer,
PierreBoulez,VanCliburnandIgorStravinsky,allofwhomwould,in
differentways,playleadingroleswithinthesocialandculturallandscapeof
thecoldwarperiod.
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2012/04/musicmodernismandthetwilightoftheelites/
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Inonerespect,notsomuchhaschangedintheyearssince:musicianswith
large,loyalandenthusiasticfollowingscontinuetohaveanoutsized
influence,frequentlyrecruitedforinitiativesrangingfromanimalrightsto
medicalmarijuanatoenvironmentaljustice.ThesongsofBruceSpringsteen,
JohnnyCash,SmokeyRobinsonandGarthBrooks(totakeafewnamesat
random)havebeenstaplesatcandidatesralliesfordecades,their
endorsementsactivelysoughtoutbypoliticalfigures.Musicianshavealso
servedinvariouspoliticalpositionsinrecentyears,amongthem
CongressmenJohnHall(oftheseventiesrockbandOrleans)andSonny
Bono,authoroflandmarkcopyrightlegislation.InLatinAmerica,Gilberto
GilandSuzanneBacahavebeenappointedasMinistersofCultureinBrazil
andPerurespectively,positionsofsubstantialpowerandinfluence.
Thatthosejustmentionedareallpopmusiciansisindicativeofawidely
recognized,albeitinfrequentlydiscussed,development:classicalmusics
precipitouslossofprestigeandculturalauthorityoverthepasttwoorthree
decades.ThereasonsforthisarealargertopicthanwhatIwillexamine
here.RatherIwillfocusononecorneroftheclassicalmusicworldwhere
thefallfromgracehasbeenparticularlydramaticnamely,whatusedto
becalledcontemporaryormodernmusic,butwhichnow,insofarasitis
recognizedasadistinctgenre,requiresanadditionalgenericqualifier:
contemporaryclassicalmusic.
BeforeIdoso,Iwillconcedethatintheschemeofthings,whetheroneor
anotherkindofmusicgetssubsidized,composed,andperformed,isnota
matterofmuchsignificance.Whatissignificantandrevealingisthebasic
outlineofthecollapse:anelitesanctionedenterpriseischallenged,losesits
capacitytoclaimexpertiseand,ultimately,itsprivilegedstatus.This
trajectorywasrecapitulatedonmanyoccasionsoutsideoftheworldof
musicandthearts.Carriedtoitsextreme,eliteprivilegeandimpunityisat
thecoreofwhymanyofusnowfindourselvesonthestreets.Andsothe
largerdramawhichisnowbeingplayedoutismorethanalittlefamiliarto
composersofmygeneration,asthebriefrecapitulationofthatwhichIwill
callournakbawillreveal.
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Thestorybeginsinthenineteenthcentury,whencomposerssuchas
Beethoven,Wagner,VerdiandBrahmsachievedasocietalstatusand
culturalcentralityequaltoifnotunmatchedbyartistsinanyprevious
historicalepoch.Theirexaltedstatuswouldcontinuethroughthemodernist
period,thoughtheyweremetwithincreasingincomprehensionand
bewildermentinthefaceofworkswhichwere,insomecases,deliberate
assaultsonbourgeoissensibilities.
Doubtsastotheviabilityofmusicalmodernismintensifiedduringthepost
warperiodandwouldemergeasafrequenttopicofhighbrowdiscoursea
generationago.BooksandmagazinearticleswithtitlessuchasTheAgony
ofModernMusic[1],TerminalPrestige[2],RationalizingCulture[3]
andTheTwilightoftheTenuredComposer[4]tookaimatwhatonethen
marginalcomposerdescribedasawasteland,dominatedbythesemaniacs,
thesecreeps,whoweretryingtomakeeveryonewritethiscrazycreepy
music.[5]Atacertainpointadominantcriticalnarrativewouldemerge
announcingthedeathofcontemporaryclassicalmusicatthehandsofa
cadreofmodernistzealots.Workingwithinthelegacyofthesecond
VienneseSchool(Schoenberg,BergandWebern),figuressuchasPierre
BoulezandMiltonBabbittsothestorygoesattemptedtoreducethe
creationofmusictoatechnocraticspecialty.Morefluentwiththe
manipulationofabstrusearithmeticformulasthanwiththenutsandboltsof
melody,harmonicprogressions,audibleform,orsonicappeal,theybelieved
thatthecreationofmusiccouldbereducedtoautonomoussyntacticformat
itsmostcognitivelyopaque,withlittleconcernastowhat,orevenwhether,
amessageofanysignificancewascommunicatedtotheiraudiences.
Inshort,itwasmusicwithoutmeaningandwasreceivedassuch,notjustby
generalaudiencesbutbyitsnominaltargetaudienceofintellectuals,who
inaminorrecapitulationofthewellworntrahisondesclercsmaneuver
fledtowardsthegreenerpasturesof,first,jazzandtheneventuallyawide
varietyofpopularandworldmusics.Atitsnadir,classicalcomposition
wouldberegardedalonglinesarguedbyphilosopherStanleyCavell,asa
fundamentallyfraudulententerprise[6].AndwhileCavellsdescriptionwas
directednarrowlyatthealeatoricexperimentaltraditionassociatedwithJohn
Cageandhiscircle,theindictmentwouldfrequentlybeextendedto
composersworkingwithinthehighmodernisttraditionhostiletoCageand
hisschool,andeventoawholesalerejectionoftwentiethcenturymusic[7],
includingcomposerswhosawthemselvesasreactingagainstmodernism.
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Thesewidelycirculatedcritiqueswouldresultinclassicalcomposersbeing
marginalizedfromwhathadbeentheexclusiveperchesfromwhichtheir
influencecouldbeprojected.Thattheyhavebeendislodgedfromtheseis
routinelyattestedtobyexampleslikethefollowing:WhentheNewYork
Timesseeksexpertopinionsonwheremusicssoulresides,PaulSimon,
RoseanneCashandothersfromthepopmusicworldareaskedtocontribute
theirperspectives.Noclassicalcomposerisrepresented.Or,whiletheNew
YorkReviewofBooks,duringitsfirstdecade,wouldopenitspagestoRobert
CraftandCharlesRosenextollingtheworkofthencuttingedgehigh
modernistssuchasElliottCarter,nowitsmusicalperspectivetendstobe
centeredaroundvernacularidioms.Whatwouldhavebeendismissedas
celebritybiographiesofEminem,rap,variousMotownartistsandBob
Dylaninyearspastarenowrespectfullyreviewedandoftenpraised.A
somewhatmoredownscaleindicationofcontemporarycomposers
marginalizationcanbeseenbyperusingtheguestdocketofthemiddlebrow
publicradiointerviewshowFreshAir,whichlistsonlytwoclassical
composers(SteveReichandJohnAdams)inthepasttwoyears,nextto
columnsofjazz,rock,soul,hiphopandworldmusicmusicians.
IshouldstressherethatIdonotendorsewhatisbynowthedominant
conventionalwisdom,whichassignsresponsibilitytoacademichigh
modernismforcontemporarymusicswaningculturalauthority.WhileI
haveratherlittleaffinitywiththeidiom,theallegation,inparticular,of
fraudulence,thatisdirectedatitspractitioners(insofarasithasany
meaning)isobviouslybeliedbythehighleveloftechnicalcompetence,in
themosttraditionalsenseoftheterm,ofthecomposersworkingwithinit.
Ratherthandenigratingacademicmodernism,myobjectivehereistonote
thatsuchchargesdirectedagainstitwouldcometoassumethestatusofa
conventionalwisdomand,assuch,hadanimportantimpactontheultimate
viabilityofthefieldandinthecapacityofrecognizedelitestodictatethe
termsofthebroaderpublicsengagementswithmusicalculture.
Expressedinmorefamiliarterms,whatallthisamountedtowasthe
spectacleofaBlancheDuboisofartformsgettingitscomeuppance.Andit
waslongoverduetomanyincludingtoculturalpopulistswhoresented
classicalmusicscombinationofarroganceandpreciosity,nottomentionits
accesstofundingsourcesinsulatingitfromtheharshdictatesofthe
capitalistmarketplace.
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ButthepleasuresofSchadenfreudewouldturnoutbeshortlivedasother
disciplinesintheartsandhumanitieswouldsoonfollowclassicalcomposers
inamarchtowardstheculturalmargins.Amongthefirsttojoininwouldbe
literaryscholarship.Justasthechargeoffraudulencewouldemanatefirst
fromwithintheranksofcomposers,sotoowouldthedimmestviewsof
literarystudiesemergefirstfromwithinthefield.Manytraditionalliterary
scholarsearnestlyexpressedtheirdiscomfortwithpostmodernistand
poststructuralisttendenciesinacademicjournals.Butthebestknownof
thesesalvoswouldappearinsatiricalworkssuchasFrederickCrewsThe
PoohPerplexanditssequelPostmodernPoohalarminglypitchperfect
takedownsoftherangeofcriticaltheoriesdominantacrosstwodifferent
academicgenerations.Alongsimilarlines,DavidLodgesseriesofnovels
pokedfunatthepantheonofacademiccelebrities,prettymuchallofwhom
emergeasbuffoonsmostnotablythecharacterofMorrisZapp,astandin
fortheliterarycriticStanleyFish,whoseownfamilydemandsaransom
fromhisterroristabductorsforhisreleasefromcaptivity.Probablytheleast
knownofthesesatireswouldbeDavidBromwichandEdwardMendelsons
RaritanarticleHistoricizingPhrenology[8]whichwouldbeseriously
discussedwithinthefieldfornearlyeightyearsbeforebeingexposedfora
hoaxbyjournalistRonRosenbaum.
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Comingfromwithintheacademicfraternity,theseportraits,whilecertainly
uncomfortable,couldbeacceptedasthenormalandhealthyinternalself
criticismwhichanyseriousdisciplinetakesforgranted.Moreproblematic
wastheincreasingrecognitionthatthemostskeptical,corrosiveandhostile
viewsofthefieldwereprevalentontheoutside.Thisbecameapparentwith
aratherlessfriendlysatiricalattackdeliveredbyNYUphysicistAlanSokal
intheformofanabsurdistarticleacceptedforpublicationbytheflagship
postmodernjournalSocialText.TheSokalhoax,asitbecameknown,
demonstrated,atminimum,awidespreadperceptionthatleadingmembers
ofthepostmodernistmovementwereincapableofrationaldiscourse,
profoundlyignorantandsimultaneouslycontemptuousof,scientificnorms
andaltogetherlackinginintellectualselfdiscipline.Subsequentdefenses
mountedinitswakeonlymademattersworseandopenedthefieldupto
additionalkicksfromthepoliticalRightadministeredbyPaulGrossand
NormalLevittintheirbookHigherSuperstition[9].Moredamagewould
beinflictedbythedisclosurethatoneoftheleadingfiguresofthe
deconstructionmovementinliterarytheory,PauldeManofYaleUniversity,
hadauthoredantisemiticworksforaBelgiancollaborationistnewspaper.
WithdeMansunmasking,therelativisttenetsfundamentalto
poststructuralistcriticismwouldtakeonamuchdarkersubtextasaformof
Holocaustdenialismonethatwasfamiliartoitscontinentalfollowers,but
wouldbeparticularlyabhorrenttomanyofitsmostenthusiasticdomestic
adherentsandpotentialsympathizers.
Theterminalpointofthisdescentwouldbemordantlydescribedin1999by
AndrewDelbancointheNewYorkReview:
Acoupleofyearsago,inanarticleexplaininghowfundsfor
facultypositionsareallocatedinAmericanuniversities,theprovost
oftheUniversityofCaliforniaatBerkeleyofferedsomefrank
advicetodepartmentchairs,whosejobpartlyconsistsoflobbying
forashareofthebudget.Oneverycampus,shewrote,thereis
onedepartmentwhosenameneedonlybementionedtomake
peoplelaughyoudontwantthatdepartmenttobeyours.The
provost,CarolChrist(whoretainsherfacultypositionasa
literatureprofessor),doesnotnametheoffenderbuteveryone
knowsthatifyouwanttolocatethelaughingstockonyourlocal
campusthesedays,yourbestbetistostopbytheEnglish
department.
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Justasclassicalcomposerscontinuetofunctionwithinintheacademyina
reducedcapacity,sotoodocollegeEnglishdepartmentscontinuetoservice
diminishingnumbersofundergraduatemajors,aswellasnonmajorsin
requiredsurveyclasses.Onedifferencebetweenthetwofieldsisthefact
thatclassicalcomposers,beingperhapsmorepainfullyawareoftheir
decliningstatusamongpeers,nowseemreluctanttoexpressopinions
outsideofnarrowlydefinedmusictheoreticaltopics.Literaryscholars
appearsomewhatlessconstrainedinofferingtheirexpertopinionsonawide
rangeoftopicsortexts,astheyconstruetheempiricalbasisoftheir
discipline.AmongtheleastreticentisHarvardsElaineScarrywho,ina
seriesofarticles,discussedtheroleofhighintensityradiatedfieldsinthe
explosionofTWAflight800in1997.ThatScarry,theCabotProfessorof
Aesthetics,hasvirtuallynocredentialsintherelevant,andhighlytechnical,
subjectmattersuggeststhatahighdegreeofintellectualselfconfidence(not
tosaychutzpah)remainsdeeplyrootedatleastamongtheeliteranksof
humanitiesfaculty.Alessflamboyantexampleisprovidedbytherecent
politicalwritingsofYalesDavidBromwichintheLondonReviewofBooks
andelsewhere.Thesearebrilliantandprofoundlydamningportraitsofthe
Obamapresidency,widelyreadinthenascentand(onehopes)fast
developingmovementofoppositiontotheadministrationsvarious
constitutional,environmentalandeconomicoutrages.Whiletheyare
outstandinginstancesofjournalisticpolemicsinthetraditionofI.F.Stone,
theyarereasonablyviewedascategoricallydistinctfromBromwichs
central(albeitimpressivelybroad)scholarlydomainofEnglishimaginative
literatureextendingfromShakespearetoHazlitttoWordsworthtomodern
poetry.
Itshouldcomeasnosurprisethatthosewhoseacademiccredentialshave
becomealaughingstockwoulddirecttheirenergiestowardsotherfora
wheretheirrhetoricalfluencyandsensitivitytotextualnuancemightbe
profitablyexercised.Somethingofthesamehasoccurredamongacademic
composers,manyofwhomnowworkwithinidioms(e.g.rockandworld
musics)whichsharelittlerelationshiptothecanonicworksthatconstituted
thecoreoftheiracademictraining.Theseexercisesinacademic
moonlighting,whileinonerespectreflectingfavorablyontheunderlying
competenceofthoseengaginginthem,areatthesametimeconsistentwith
thedim,stigmatizedviewoftheacademichumanitiesasbestavoidedby
thosewantingtobetakenseriouslywithinthebroaderculture.
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Thepublicshamingofthehumanitieswasthecauseofsomesatisfaction
outsidethesedisciplinesnotablyamongskepticswhosawthemas,at
best,consistingoftheexpressionofsubjectivetastesandprejudices,andat
worst,theparadingofcharlatanismandfraudulenceinaposeofexpertise.
Buttheshaminghasrecentlyexpandedinsurprisingdirections.Amongthe
disciplineswhosestockhadrisenasthehumanitiesdeclinedwerethose
whoseempiricalmethodologieswereseenasexemptingthemfromthe
chargeofsubjectivityrunamok.Foremostamongthesewaswhatwasseen
asthemostrigorousofthesocialsciences,namely,thefieldofeconomics
inparticulartheneoclassicalrationalchoicedoctrine,whichacquired
unparalleledprestige,itsleadingpractitionerscommandinglargesalaries,its
modelspushingtothemarginsolderKeynesianandotherapproaches,and
itsgraduateshavingtheirpickofentryleveljobswithinanelsewheretight
academicjobmarket.
Thebestknownfigureswouldmoveeffortlesslyaroundthethreelegged
stoolofgovernment,corporateboardroomsandtheacademy.Milton
Friedman,AlanGreenspan,LawrenceSummers,andJeffreySachs,would
becomenearlypapalintheirinfluenceonpublicpolicybothhereand
abroad,theirpronouncementsonpublicpolicygrantedexcathedrastatusby
elitesinmediaandpolicymakingcircles.Forthebroadpublic,the
economistsfromtheFreakonomicsfranchiseappliedtheirpresumed
expertisetoeverythingfromprostitutiontoguncontrol,musicaltaste,and
climatechange,subjectsfarfrominterestrates,demandcurvesandprice
equilibria.Thesewouldhelptoestablishthecapitalistmarketasasecular
icon,especiallyamongnobodysfoolhipsterswhohadbeentraditionally
resistanttotheblandishmentsofrightwingeconomicideology.
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Thenextstepinthisprogressionwas,aseveryoneknowsbynow,offthe
cliff,whichistosayaneartotalcollapseofthefieldsintellectualandmoral
standing.Theeconomistsnakbacanbedatedtotheyearsofthehousing
bubble,whichwouldbemissedbyvirtuallytheentiretyofthemainstreamof
theprofessionafailureroughlyequivalenttothemembershipofthe
AmericanAstronomicalSocietyfailingtopredictaneclipse.Perhapsthe
catharticmomentwasAlanGreenspanstestimonybeforethehousebanking
committeeadmittingtoflawswhichresultedinthemodelspredictive
failure.Greenspanwas,ofcourse,carefultocouchhismeaculpaintypically
obscurescientisticrhetoric,equatinghimselfinasmuchtoacivilengineeror
biochemistdiscussingafaultyconstructiontechniqueorineffective
prescriptionpharmaceutical.Theunderlyingpremisewasthatthebasic
principlesofeconomicscienceremainedsoundbutthattheyhadbeen
mistakenlyappliedinthisparticularinstance.Whatwasincreasingly
perceivedbythoseoutsideandasignificantminorityontheinsidewasthat
economicswasnomoreanobjectivesciencethanwerethehumanistic
disciplinesmanyeconomistshadviewedasempiricallysoftand
intellectuallysuspect.Indeed,muchofeconomicswouldbeshownto
embodythemostcynicalviewofthehumanisticenterprises:anelaborately
stagedmascaradewherebyeliteprejudicesweretransformedintoeternal
truths,implementedinpublicpolicies,somehowalwayshavingtheeffectof
furtherenrichingelitestotheimmiseratingdetrimentoftheother99%.
Thetransformationoftheeconomicsdisciplinefromdeitytodemonisbest
chartedinCharlesFergusons2010documentaryInsideJob,which
demonstratesinclinicaldetailhowanelaboratelyfashionededificeof
mathematicalrigorandformalmethodologywasbuiltonafoundationof
selfinterestedfraudulence.ColumbiaProfessorsGlennHubbardand
FrederickMishkinareshowntobesimpleconmen,albeitextremely
effectiveones,havingparlayedtheiracademicreputationsintopositionsof
considerableinfluenceand,notcoincidentally,considerablepersonalwealth.
InasubsequentarticlefortheChronicleofHigherEducation,Fergusontook
aimattheconflictofinterestpoliciesobtainingineliteuniversities,
comparingthesewiththesimilarlylaxregulationswhichlubricate,rather
thanimpede,therevolvingdoorbetweenthegovernment,thedefense
industriesandprivatelobbyingfirms.Fergusonconcludeswiththe
Hippocraticimperativeacademehealthyself!inrecognitionofthecentral
rolewhichsupposedlydisinterestedacademicinquiryhasplayedin
promotingthefraudulentassumptionsattherootofeconomicpolicyfortwo
politicalgenerations,onewhichhasvisiteduntoldharmontensifnot
hundredsofmillionsofpeople.
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Mainstreameconomistshavebeenslowtorecognizeandevenslowerto
accepttheirresponsibilityfor,thedecisiveroleoftheirdisciplineinthe
globalcatastrophe.Slowerstillhasbeenthepoliticalestablishment,within
whichmainstreameconomicretainsmuchofitsluster.Thatthisisthecase
canbeseenintheresponsetotheeconomiccrisis,theimpositionofan
internationalregimeofausteritythattakesapagetakendirectlyfromthe
supplysideplaybook.Therearenowindications,mostconspicuouslyinthe
formoftheWallStreetoccupationmovement,thatthisconventional
wisdomwillbe,atleastinpart,dislodged.Thatthiswillnothappenwithout
intenseexternalpressuregivesagoodindicationofthefundamental
corruptionattheheartoftheeconomicsprofessionanditsessentialrolein
theongoingwarofdispossessionwagedbyeconomicelitesagainstthevast
majorityofthepopulation.
Infairness,itshouldberecognizedthatmorethanafeweconomistshave
harboreddoubtsandhavebeenincreasinglywillingtoexpressthem.One
indicationcanbeseenintheNobelPrizeswhichhave,inrecentyears,been
grantedtothosewelloutsideoftherightwingmainstreamnotablythe
2006prizeawardedtothepsychologistDanielKahneman,whoseworkisa
directrepudiationoftheassumptionthathumansarecapableofconsistently
exercisingthecognitivecapacityforrationalchoiceintheeconomicrealm.
AnotherNobelPrizewinner,PaulKrugman,enjoysaNewYorkTimes
platformforhisattacksonwhathehasdubbedmainstreamfreshwater
economics,accusingitofrecapitulating80yearoldfallaciesinthebelief
thattheyreprofoundinsights,because[mosteconomists]areignorantofthe
hardwoninsightsofthepastAccordingtoKrugman,manyeconomists
arenteventryingtogetatthetruth[butengagein]theinventionofstories
torationalizethedisasterinawaythatsupportstheirsideofthepartisan
divide.
AllthisKrugmancontinues,makesmewonderwhatkindofan
enterpriseIvedevotedmylifeto.Whileliteraryscholarsandcomposers
may,intheirdarkermoments,harborrealdoubtsabouthowtheirfieldsare
practiced,few,eveninthedepthsofdespair,wouldaskthissortofquestion
abouttheirfundamentalpurposeandpremises.
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Sofar,Ihavefocusedonthenegativesideoftheseinstancesofintellectual
disgrace,inparticulartheperceptionofafundamentalbankruptcyatthe
heartofexpertiseasitwasdefinedwithinthepostwarinstitutional
mainstream.Butthereisalsoapositivemoral,whichisthatthecollapseof
institutionalauthorityhasbroughtwithittherecognitionthattheideas,
analysesandpredictionsofamateursaverage,uncredentialledcitizens
havematchedandfrequentlyexceededininsight,reliability,andaccuracy
thoseofcredentialedexperts.Whilethishasbeenapparentinallofthefields
mentionedabove,itisperhapsmostconspicuousinmusic,whereitisnow
takenforgrantedthatworksofemotionalpower,intellectualsubstanceand
structuralsophisticationareroutinelyproducedwelloutsideofexpertclass
whichistosay,thosewhohavebeengrantedthehonorificjob
descriptioncomposer.
Therelevantformoftechnicalexpertisedifferentiatingcomposersfrom
musicianswhojusthappentocreatemusichasbeenthatofmusicalnotation,
forcenturies,assumedtobetheexclusivemediumthroughwhichmusical
workswithpretentionstoartisticseriousnesshadtobeconveyed.Withthe
folkandrockmusicrevolutionsofthefiftiesandsixties,thenotatedscore
wouldberelegatedtothestatusofahistoricalartifact,asrecordingsand
broadcastsofperformancesbymusiciansbecamethemainmediumthrough
whichmusicwascommunicatedfromcomposertoperformertoaudiences.
Therigorousmusicaltrainingnecessarytoproducelegiblescoresandto
decodethecomplexhieroglyphicsofmusicalnotationwouldbeseen,ina
kindofmirrorimagemusicalReformation,asabarrierimposedbyelites
designedtosuppresstherightofthemassestoparticipate.PeteSeeger
wouldbecometheseminalfigureinthisrevolution,insistingthatthejoysof
bothmusicandmusicmakingshouldbeavailabletoall,notjustthoseable
tonegotiatemusiconthepage.Theremovalofthebarrierresultedintheart
formwhichhasdefinedthecultureofeverygenerationsince:Motown,Bob
Dylan,LennonandMcCartney,JoniMitchell,TheLastPoets,KurtCobain,
KanyeWest,thecanonofcontemporarymusicasitisnowuncontroversially
defined,virtuallyallofwhichhasemanatedfromthosewholackedeither
themeansortheinclinationtodevelopconventionalmusicalliteracy.
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Ofcourse,whilethemandarinclassofitsdayridiculedthepossibilityof
marketorientedephemerahavinganyconnectiontomusicalcultureinany
meaningfulsenseoftheterm,ithasnowbeenatleasttwogenerationsthat
thisviewhasbeenonthedefensive.Bynow,thosewhowouldclaim
culturalcentralityorevenrelevancefortheiconsofsixtiesofhigh
modernismpromotedbyelitesCarter,Babbitt,andBoulezseem
merelyridiculous,themusicalanaloguesofdefendersofEnverHoxhaor
KimJongIl.Anewchapterofthisstoryisnowemerging,however.For
withthecompletetriumphofmarketfundamentalismwithineconomics,and
itscloserelativemarketpopulismwithintheworldofartsandcultural
production,therearemorethanafewindicationsthatdiscontentis
simmering,notonlywiththesocialconditionsthemarkethaswroughtbut
withtheinevitablelimitationsitimposesontherangeofcreativeexpression.
Thereisanincreasingrecognitionthatwithinthecapitalistmarketplace
musicisnecessarilyconsignedtoautilitarianfunction,asadeliveryvehicle
forcommercialsolicitationsoratbesttheexpressionoflifestylechoices
andsocialidentitiesachievedthroughconsumeristacquisition.Itwas
predictablethatthethreetofourminutesongwouldincreasinglydefinethe
exclusivelimitsofmusicalformasneoliberalismtighteneditsgrip.This
limitedformalvocabularycontrastsstarklywiththemusicalcultureofthe
canonicperiodwhich,whilecontainingasubstantialsongliterature,is
notableforthecentralityofinstrumentalmusicmakinguseofautonomous,
asopposedtotextuallybased,musicalforms.Theengagementwith
instrumentalworksrequirestheimmersioninaworldwhoselogicisdictated
byitsownselfcontainedandselfsufficientrulesofantecedentand
consequentphrases,diminutionandaugmentation,perfect,imperfector
deceptivecadences,motivictransformationanddevelopment.Asthesehave
nothingtodowithsystemofcontrolanddominationwhichdefinesourlives
elsewheretheexploitationoflabor,theprovisionofservicesorthe
acquisitionofrawmaterialssocalledpuremusicconstitutesarealmof
experienceinwhichhomoeconomicushasnostatus.Anditisforthis
reasonthattheappreciationofautonomous,nonreferentialmusical
structure,whileadmittedlyconstitutingaformofescapismformost,is,atits
best,afundamentallysubversiveactthroughrecognizingthatanotherworld
is,atleastinametaphoricalsense,temporarilypossible.
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Itisnotsurprising,then,thatlargescaleautonomousmusicaldiscourseand
syntaxwouldbecomearelicofthepastaswouldthemedium,musical
notation,inwhichextendedmusicalformwascommunicated.And,as
suggestedearlier,thereisaninseparableconnectionbetweenautonomous
contentandthemediuminwhichitisconveyed:fluencywithmusical
notationisrequiredtoacquireatechnicalunderstandingofautonomous
forms(sonata,fugue,rondo,etc.)butmoreimportantlynotationfunctions
asamusicalblueprintrequiredforcomposerstoconceptualizeand
subsequentlycreateacoherentlargescalemusicalarchitectureofanysort.
Asthegoalofcreatinganextendedautonomousformwithinmusicis
rejected,thetechnicalmeansbyforachievingitinevitablywitheraway.
Thisrealizationbegsanotablehypotheticalquestion:Whatifasocialand
economicclimatehadexistedinwhichthemusicalstatementsofthesixties
hademanatedfromliteratemusicalcultureperhapsasanadversarial
tendencywithinitratherthanrepudiatingthatculturesmostfundamental
premises?WhatifKurtCobainhadgonetoConservatory?Whilewe
certainlywouldnothavesymphoniesinanythinglikethetraditionalsense
wemighthavehadsomethingalongthelinesofaviablemusicalthird
stream.
Butthereisreasontobelievethatsuchathirdwaywouldhavefailed,just
ashavepoliticalthirdwaysbelovedofgenerationsofreformistliberal
intellectuals.Asforwhy
thisisthecase,hereisanattemptatanexplanationthatIventuredsome
yearsago:
Audiencesandcomposershaveexpectationswhichcantbemetby
musictransmittedfromcomposertoperformerviatheprint
medium.Itisnotpossibletoachievethefrenziesofactivity,the
extremesofdensity,northenearoptimalmatchingofmusical
materialtoinstrumentalcapabilitiesinherentintheprocessoftrial
anderror,improvisation,andrecordingstudiocuttingandpasting
whichdefinesthecreationofmostcontemporarymusic.Nor...
aretheunlimitedsonicresources,theabsoluterhythmicprecision,
andextremesofspeed,frequency,andamplitudepossiblewithin
thedigitalrealmaccessibletocomposersworkingwithintheprint
musicmedium.
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Thebasicsoundworldandmusicalsyntaxofpopularmusicdefinesa
distinctlanguage,onewhichisinextricablylinkedtothemediuminwhichit
iscommunicated.Ithasbecomethemusicallinguafrancaofourdayandall
attemptstospeakthelanguagewithintheliteratemediumtendtocome
acrossasstiltedandunnatural.Mostmusiciansinmygenerationand
youngerarenowmoreorlessequallyfluentinbothlanguagesandareto
givebothlanguagestheirdue:justasitisimpossiblethatthiscouldhave
beenconceivedwithinanonliteratemedium,itisequallyunimaginablethat
thiscouldbeinspired,createdandperformedwithinthemediumofnotation.
Attheriskofpushingtheanalogytoanextreme,wemightspeculatethatwe
arenowatthebeginningofaliberationofpoliticalenergiescomparableto
thatofthemusicalrevolutionofthesixties.Eliteexpertisehavingbeen
underminedandrepudiated,elitesofallstripesareincreasinglyviewedas
debased,clueless,cynicalandcorrupt.Anditstandstoreasonthatthe
leadershipstructureofthelefthasreflectedthisawareness,itsownelites
havingbeenreplacedbyahorizontaldemocracyinwhich,inprinciple,all
aregivenavoiceandexpectedtoparticipate.Itseemsquitelikelythatat
somepoint,theGeneralAssemblyhootenannywillcometoanend,and
someformoftopdownorganizationwillimposeitself,eitherunderduress
oroutoftherecognitionofpractical,politicalnecessity.Atthatpoint,itwill
betimetoresuscitatewhatwereassumedtobethosemoribundtraditions
centeredaroundtheconceptionofstructuringlargescalesocial
arrangementsforthebenefitoftensofmillionsratherthanadhocsolutions
relevanttoachievingimpressivebutnonethelesslimitedactivistgoals.For
themoment,weshouldrecognizethenakbaoftheelitesasthefirststepand
welcomeandcelebratetheproductiveanarchywhichhasnecessarily
accompaniedit.
1. HenryPleasants,TheAgonyofModernMusic.NewYork:Simon&
Schuster,1955.
2. SusanMcClary,TerminalPrestige:TheCaseofAvantGarde
Composition,CulturalCritique12,1989,pp.5781
3. GeorginaBorn,RationalizingCulture:IRCAM,Boulez,andthe
InstitutionalizationoftheMusicalAvantGarde.Berkeley:Universityof
CaliforniaPress,1995.
4. RichardSennett,TheTwilightoftheTenuredComposer,Harpers269
(December1984),pp.7071.
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11.3.2015
5. ComposerPhillipGlassquotedinJohnRockwell,AllAmericanMusic:
Compositionofthelate20thCentury,NewYork:Knopf,1983
6. Cavell,Stanley.MusicDiscomposed,inMustWeMeanWhatWe
Say?,CambridgeandNewYork:CambridgeUniversityPress,1976.
7. Foranextreme,albeitnotatypical,example,Twentiethcenturymusicis
likepedophilia.Nomatterhowpersuasivelyandpersistentlyits
championsurgetheircause,itwillneverbeacceptedbythepublicat
large,whowillcontinuetoregarditwithincomprehension,outrageand
repugnance.KingsleyAmis,quotedinPaulFussell,TheAntiEgotist:
KingsleyAmis,ManofLetters,NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,
1994.
8. Salazar,Rothman.HistoricizingPhrenology:Wordsworth,Pynchon,and
theDiscursiveEconomyoftheCranialText.Raritan8(1988):8091
9. PaulR.GrossandNormanLevitt,HigherSuperstition:TheAcademic
LeftandItsQuarrelsWithScience,Baltimore:JohnsHopkinsUniversity
Press,1994.
4.27.12
John Halle is the director of studies in music theory and practice at Bard
College Conservatory.
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