Comments on: more kaplan responses

By: bob priest

bob priest — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:47:08 +0000

Hahahahaha, “a few ideas”? I’d love to see your short list sometime. I can honestly only think of ONE that fits my description above.

By: Charles Noble

Charles Noble — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 21:42:59 +0000

Hmm… I wonder who this mystery composer might be – I have a few ideas. Send me an email privately if you dare disclose his/her name!

By: frankenslade

frankenslade — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 20:59:44 +0000

Hey, I’m glad I found your thoughts on Kaplan, including your original piece. You’re right, what I wrote up on Rock Town Hall was definitely from a non-classical music fan’s perspective. As I read it, it was a great story involving a composer of one of the few pieces of classicl music that I own and have a personal relationship with. I read your original piece and was a bit ashamed that I “fell” for this story I read in The Economist. As a “rock snob” who might look down his nose at someone from outside my musical world who had an emotional reaction to something that I knew better about, I can imagine some of the things that must have gone through your mind! Thanks for not dismissing my thoughts on the piece I read and giving me a richer perspective.

By: bob priest

bob priest — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:50:43 +0000

This Kaplan vs. Crap-land argument is fascinating entertainment. The cash registers are overflowing in unison – now, THAT’S some kinda conducting technique!

On another note, I can think of one highly professional composer that shamelessly writes the same facile drivel over and over. He continues to get HUGE commissions and is performed, and pandered to, worldwide.

Sure, this spineless note-spinner has craft, credential and credence. He is also a master hypnotist in that he gets others to unzip their Kaplan-esque checkbooks to fund his pathetic ubiquity in the contemporary music world.

So, you see (and hear), each corner of the music-verse has its vituperators. Now, back to the hilarity of the Kaplan showdown . . .

PS
Mahler’s 2nd is my fave of the batch. I’ve never heard/experienced it “live.” I will take the first chance I get to do so – even it Herr Kaplan is tokenly at the throttle.

PPS
BTW, Messiaen was NOT a Mahler fan. One day in class, George Benjamin asked “le Maitre” what he thought of Gustav’s music. Messiaen responded in mock surprise thusly; “Mahler? Quel malheur.”