Re: GG and Webern

[Elmer Elevator <bobmer.javanet@RCN.COM>]

To a synæsthetic, we non-synæsthetics will probably just never know. There's
also a rumor that "A Clockwork Orange" is text designed to reflect a
particular symphony, either a Beethoven or a Mozart symphony; I think the
rumor also stems from something Burgess (a composer/conductor) said in an
interview. Maybe I'll track the rumor down again and then read ACO while
listening to the symphony. But somehow I doubt if I'll suddenly say "Aha!
Now I see/hear/grok it!"

But the idea that "The Idea of North" was, for GG, richly musical and
reflective of Webern's musical structures -- sure, makes perfect sense if
conversations are musical and music is conversational to you.

This isn't something forever and totally beyond the grokking of
non-synæsthetics. Often the best musical scores to movies are extremely
subtle about the way they "goose" and reinforce our emotions -- although
it's not at all clear how music and emotions are somehow exchangeable
currencies. (We had a really interesting thread here once about the
historical "invention" that linked sadness with the minor key, when earlier
music regularly used the minor key for joy and celebration; these emotional
links to music are not permanent or inherent or built-in.) Some composers
are obviously naturals at perceiving the dynamics of that exchange.

Elmer

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Jo Watts <mwatts@rci.rutgers.edu>
To: F_MINOR@email.rutgers.edu <F_MINOR@email.rutgers.edu>
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2003 4:11 PM
Subject: GG and Webern


>One of the things I found most interesting about the Alchemist DVD is
>that quick moment when BM and GG discuss the Idea of North and GG
>mentions that he finds his "composition" (the IoN) to be reminiscent
>of the tone rows of Anton Webern. Anyone want to venture a guess as to
>what he meant by that?
>
>-Mary Jo