The Fredösphere

Remember that Symphony X post I blogged about, the one with the complaint about critic Kyle Gann?  Well, Gann and other critics have participated in a panel discussion that was going to become the subject of one of my posts.  Well, the New Criterion's blog Arma Virumque is prodding me to do it.  (It's got lots o' links to follow.)

It is kind of funny the way the panelists spend time at first undermining the legitimacy of the question, "why is there no big musical idea that dominates music at the moment."  It's so predictable.  And yet, if anyone cared to ask me, I'd probably do the same.

The New Criterion link also examines a long quote from Alex Ross of the New Yorker (which reminds me, why don't we have an Ypsilantier or an Ann Arborer?  Oh wait, we do, but everyone stopped reading them after Tina Brown ruined them) which dissects the current orchestra mess.  It would be nice if some structural reforms could revive audience interest in classical music.  Assuming structural reforms are possible anytime before we die.

And the link also references Alex Ross' reports from Bayreuth:  Wagner's dog cast in bronze, Was Elmer Fudd A Nazi, Parsifal juxtaposed with rotting rabbit corpses -- sheesh, this one link does it all!  I should skip the blogging and redirect this URL straight to TNC.

(And don't miss this follow up post by Stefan Beck, the clown prince of ... of ... of a word that means clever young arts journalist and rhymes with "crime".)