COIN 63 Podcast Message

This week, my blog entry is a brief podcast to my fellow COIN 63 classmates. You can listen to the 30 second podcast by clicking the orange Podcast button below.

Sounds of a Centenarian

My original plan was to do a post on Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman or Captain Beefheart ... musicians who really shaped my listening habits.

But, my mind made a detour and I decided to write a few words about the composer Elliott Carter, who is still very much alive and alert at 101 years old. Mr. Carter has one of those familiar names where it's very easy to say, "I think I've heard of him," even when you haven't. I think I first encountered his name in a newspaper article when he turned 100. Out of curiosity, I went to the Mountain View library and checked out a CD of his music. It was a collection of recent works (from 1993 and 1996) performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Oliver Knusten.

My initial listening experience was off-putting to say the least. The seemingly disjointed music progressed in a manner that was difficult to follow. It almost seemed as if Carter decided that the music had to change direction and timbre every few measures. Musical hooks or memorable melodies? Forget it. Needless to say, I took the CD off after about 10 minutes and returned it to the library.

About six months ago, I was listening to some 20th century composers like Elisabeth Lutyens, Hans Werner Henze and Morton Feldman. I thought, if I can listen to this stuff, maybe I'm ready for another go at Elliott Carter. I went back to the library and checked out the Carter CD. Although the second listening wasn't as disorienting, the music still seemed arbitrary for the sake of being arbitrary. I think I made it through the whole CD during the second listening session, but I decided that I was simply not an Elliott Carter fan.

Last week I went to the Mountain View library to check out a few CDs. I found one of George Crumb's works and one of Ruth Crawford Seeger ... both of whom I've never listen to. As I browsed through the CDs, I came across my old friend, the Elliott Carter CD again. "OK, maybe the third time is the charm," I thought and added it to my collection.

This time, I put the Carter CD on as I relaxed on the couch. Amidst the ebb, flow and punctuations of the orchestra, I noticed that one instrument was playing a melodic line ... it was a clarinet. I looked more carefully at the CD case. Duh! The first piece was Carter's Clarinet Concerto from 1996 (composed when he was 88). Just knowing that this was a clarinet concert made the clouds part. My ears could actually tune into the clarinet singing its song (atonal, yes, but still a recognizable melodic line) against the exclamations of the orchestra. The dialog seemed magic, no longer chaotic and arbitrary.

Carter's Symphonia followed with different sections of the orchestra making musical statements in between brief pauses. I found myself enjoying how Carter used a gigantic musical palette to evoke different sounds and effects.

Now, could I hum along with the disjointed melody of Carter's Symphonia or Clarinet Concerto? No way. But his music is composed for a different purpose than for dance or humming along with. For me, it took three times before I was ready to surrender and let Elliott Carter's music carry me away to an other-wordly listening experience.

You can watch Charlie Rose's interview with Elliott Carter on the day before his 100th birthday by clicking here.

Welcome

See Hear Now is a random collection of my thoughts on music, film and the arts. In other words, my blog joins the zillions of other blogs that feature random thoughts on music, film and the arts.

It is with much trepidation that I compose this initial entry. Believe me, I would not have started this blog if it weren't a required assignment in the COIN 63 class at Foothill College. But, it is with much hope that the upcoming posts will provide some interest, inspiration, dialog and maybe even some amusement.

BTW, our household doesn't currently have a cat or dog. But, we do have a couple fish.