CP Cultural Hour: Shakespeare, Bach, Plato, Emerson, What's on your mind

[FAX]

Just brewed a cup of Earl Grey tea and added some lemon and honey so if anyone would like to discuss philosophy, poetry, classical music, cultural anthropology, or anything along those lines, please advise. Also typing pretty fast because the tea is strong.

FAX

Disclaimers: Sorry if repost.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Surely you are not overlooking Beethoven as the archetype of the mutilation school, adapted much later by Hendix and Townshend?

Hey now.

Pete only mutilated his first Moog.

[FAX]

We are in complete agreement, Mr. DaneMcCloud.

I, myself, once drilled a hole in the neck of a Les Paul for the purpose of holding a cigarette while performing.

FAX

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by FAX

We are in complete agreement, Mr. DaneMcCloud.

I, myself, once drilled a hole in the neck of a Les Paul for the purpose of holding a cigarette while performing.

FAX

I sure as hell hope it wasn't a 54-59!

Anything from 1972 to 1988 is acceptable for mutilation.

Waterlogged pieces of shit.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

Don't wait for a dream that might not come true. Get yourself a copy of the Riverside Shakespeare (it's got all his works) and start with the very best. There are older versions (probably used) still available on Amazon for just over 20 bucks.

I'd recommend the Norton Shakespeare, if one were inclined to spend the money.

But I really don't know who this Shakespeare cat is.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by cdcox

Surely you are not overlooking Beethoven as the archetype of the mutilation school, adapted much later by Hendix and Townshend?

Your point is well made, Mr. cdcox. I concede it to you. As you mention it, it becomes clear that Beethoven did, indeed, provide a template for future generations of musicians with a desire to explore the various means whereby instrumentation could be modified in pursuit of creative ends.

We would be remiss, however, to leave Dr. Albert Hofmann's contributions out of the discussion.

FAX

[Buehler445]

Anybody ever read Bartleby the Scrivener?

It was horribly boring, but rather profound.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by FAX

Beethoven was a true genius, Mr. Bugeater, but ultimately a traditionalist, don't you think? Not, perhaps, as courageous as others of his contemporaries such as Mozart or even Haydn who, although also considered formal in their approach, explored highly non-contemporary compositional expression.

FAX

Our dear late (but never forgotten) friend Mr. Glenn Gould would argue differently



Cases can be made for all three (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven) advancing compositional expression. Particularly with Haydn, since both Mozart AND Beethoven were pupils of his. What they did, however, was moreso advance the Italian school of Baroque expression established by characters such as Monteverdi in the 16th century and inject it into the large symphonic forms. Additionally, both figures played a large part in cementing those as the firm forms. Sonata-allegro 1st movements, if not previously firmly established, were certainly done with Haydn (104 symphonies will tend to influence music that way). Also, Haydn is considered by most musicologists to be the father of the string quartet in the way they were composed. Mozart and Beethoven had to be deeply inspired in their quartet compositions, especially Beethoven, who took Haydn's work and added one more step.

However, it's what Gould talks about in that video that seperates Beethoven from the lot. As he lost his hearing, he appears to also have lost his patience for established sonata-allegro forms. Beginning with middle piano sonatas in 1810, he worked in the 2-movement form, and as this Op. 109 shows (from his last 5 piano sonatas) he was nearly CONSTRICTED by what was expected from good music those days. Because he was the first composer to really be a private journeyman, and not compose under the patronage system, he was allowed to create these incredibly complex works after he had established himself in Vienna, the music capital of the world. And he appears to have done marvelously for himself.

Here are the first two movements of the Op. 109 sonata Glenn Gould discusses. You'll see it's very unconventional. Serkin's a master at his age, at any rate.

[RealSNR]

By the way, I can't thank you enough for creating this thread, FAX. I've tried starting other threads like this that have gone over like the Dresden premiere of Schumann's 2nd symphony. May this one last longer.

[FAX]

Originally Posted by SNR

By the way, I can't thank you enough for creating this thread, FAX. I've tried starting other threads like this that have gone over like the Dresden premiere of Schumann's 2nd symphony. May this one last longer.

You are more than welcome, Mr. SNR. Also, I look forward to reading your prior post, although it will have to be in the morning as the hour is late and there is much to be done this weekend ... or so the beautiful and witty Mrs. FAX informs me.

As for our mutual desire that this thread be successful, I think the best thing to do is to occasionally post a riddle. After all, the riddle has a distinguished literary history dating back to antiquity and, through the means of allegory or metaphor, has challenged the wit of great men from time immemorial. With that in mind, I offer ...

It's true I bring serenity,
And hang around the stars,
But yet I live in misery,
You'll find me behind bars.
With thieves and villains I consort,
In prison I'll be found,
But I would never go to court,
Unless there's more than one.

FAX

[teedubya]

You know how I know you guys are gay?

[FAX]

Originally Posted by Ari Chi3fs

You know how I know you guys are gay?

You need some damn culture, dude.

FAX

[Baby Lee]

It's early, and 80% of my synapses are still asleep, but I'll throw out for dissection the structural similarities between;

The 1812 Overture,
Stairway to Heaven,
Sweet Child 'O Mine, and

Coitus.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by FAX

It's true I bring serenity,
And hang around the stars,
But yet I live in misery,
You'll find me behind bars.
With thieves and villains I consort,
In prison I'll be found,
But I would never go to court,
Unless there's more than one.

FAX

- how weird, but if I were to guess the answer could not be found in google, . . . but with google search, it'd be right there front and center.

[FAX]

Well, as we all know, Mr. Baby Lee, googling riddle answers ain't none too cultured.

FAX

[Katipan]

Last night on Home Improvement Wilson told Tim Aristotle's quote about Plato being dear to him but truth being dear still.

Right after that I watched an hour long infomercial about Flirty Girl Fitness.

THAT is culture.