Musical Homophobia - or The Homophobia Histories

[Mr Pee]

Whereas your "Unbelievable" on the Damascus Thread is one of the shortest. Never had you down as someone who preferred Webern to Wagner, Mr Pee.

Don't worry, I don't!!! :)

(Incidentally, not being familiar with them myself, how long do ahinton's compositions go on for, on average? The mind boggles.....)

[Sir Velo]

Don't worry, I don't!!! :)

(Incidentally, not being familiar with them myself, how long do ahinton's compositions go on for, on average? The mind boggles.....)

I believe there's a piece called 52 Variations on a theme but I may have underestimated the exact number of variations...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

(Incidentally, not being familiar with them myself, how long do ahinton's compositions go on for, on average? The mind boggles.....)

In my experience, just as long as they need to "on average". I find they are, indeed, mind-boggling works.

[ahinton]

Well the point is, and it is hardly a subtle one, that you have written possibly the longest sentence ever posted on these boards. ("D'oh" emoticon). Although I am sure that if we checked back over some of your previous contributions, that record might well be broken.

As for your "so you can count" comment, was there really any need for that?

Arguably no more need for it than there was for yours to which it was a response but, since the number of words in a sentence of yours, mine or anone else's is or ought to be or far less relevance to discussion of any topic than its content, it would be hard to interpret your remark as anything beyond the mere gratuitousness to which we've become accustomed to encountering from you, Mr Pee.

[ahinton]

(Incidentally, not being familiar with them myself, how long do ahinton's compositions go on for, on average? The mind boggles.....

As their composer, I have no idea, since I have not bothered to calculate such an average and cannot imagine for the likfe of me or anyone else why anyone would want to be so bothered but, if for some reason or none you do wish to be bothered, why not visit the catalogue of them that appears within the page that deals with them at www.sorabji-archive.co.uk and work it out for yourself if you've nothing better to do? If it's any help to you before you start on such an exercise, I have at one end of that scale a string quintet that plays for around 169 minutes and, at the other, a piece for string trio written for the 70th birthday of David Matthews that plays for rather less than half that number of seconds...

[ahinton]

I believe there's a piece called 52 Variations on a theme but I may have underestimated the exact number of variations...

Then you know more than I do, never having written a piece with such a title; perhaps you can enlighten me/us here.

[MrGongGong]

Don't worry, I don't!!! :)

(Incidentally, not being familiar with them myself, how long do ahinton's compositions go on for, on average? The mind boggles.....)

I would imagine that they are longer than a Napalm Deth track
and shorter than your "average" La Monte Young piece ........ hope that's useful Peester ?

[ahinton]

In my experience, just as long as they need to "on average". I find they are, indeed, mind-boggling works.

That is really most kind of you, fhg! That said, I have to admit that, as neither a homophobic nor a homosexual composer, I would never have expected my work to be drawn into a discussion of a topic such as this one!

[ahinton]

Incidentally, not being familiar with them myself, how long do ahinton's compositions go on for, on average? The mind boggles.....)

Some further thoughts on this occur.

Firstly, why might your mind "boggle" if, by your own admission, you are unfamiliar with works about which you seek to persuade us that it does nevertheless "boggle"?

Secondly - and, I think, far more importantly - by comparison to most of the many so many violin concertos in existence, that of Elgar is arguably pretty "long"; it is also - at least, to me - not merely one of the finest violin concertos by an English composer but one of the greatest concertos for any instrument written anywhere at any time. I could say the same for the Busoni Piano Concerto. Would you or I or anyone wish to cut so much as a bar from either? Surely not! Do Elgar and Busoni get their proportions right within the large spans of those works? I believe that they each do so unfailingly. Do their extended narratives work? You bet that they do! Are their respective organic developments convincing? Most certainly. Can we all get all such things as right as this every time? Well, I make no pretences whatsoever to any such ability but I nevertheless do make the best efforts that I can.

[scottycelt]

That is really most kind of you, fhg! That said, I have to admit that, as neither a homophobic nor a homosexual composer, I would never have expected my work to be drawn into a discussion of a topic such as this one!

Would 'a homosexual composer' compose any differently from a heterosexual composer?

I'm astounded there are those who are so obsessed with composers' sexualities and yet so easily accuse others of 'homophobia'.

It wasn't any of the so-called 'homophobes' who instigated this thread.

Maybe it's those who constantly raise and parade sexuality issues here who might be the ones actually suffering from any phobias/obsessions?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Agreed, Scotty.

[Mary Chambers]

Isn't saying that music is only about notes and sounds rather like saying that literature is only about letters and words? Just a thought.

[Mr Pee]

Some further thoughts on this occur.

I was rather afraid they might....


Firstly, why might your mind "boggle" if, by your own admission, you are unfamiliar with works about which you seek to persuade us that it does nevertheless "boggle"?

Secondly - and, I think, far more importantly - by comparison to most of the many so many violin concertos in existence, that of Elgar is arguably pretty "long"; it is also - at least, to me - not merely one of the finest violin concertos by an English composer but one of the greatest concertos for any instrument written anywhere at any time. I could say the same for the Busoni Piano Concerto. Would you or I or anyone wish to cut so much as a bar from either? Surely not! Do Elgar and Busoni get their proportions right within the large spans of those works? I believe that they each do so unfailingly. Do their extended narratives work? You bet that they do! Are their respective organic developments convincing? Most certainly. Can we all get all such things as right as this every time? Well, I make no pretences whatsoever to any such ability but I nevertheless do make the best efforts that I can.

We are in agreement on the merits of the Elgar concerto.

My remark was merely a light hearted reference to the fact that some of your posts are, shall we say, on the wordy side, and that if your musical compositions reflected that, then they might be rather lengthy.

[Mr Pee]

Agreed, Scotty.

Me too. Thumbs up.

[MrGongGong]

Isn't saying that music is only about notes and sounds rather like saying that literature is only about letters and words? Just a thought.

There is, (according to Landy) both Sound Based and Note Based music ........ but all isn't just about sonic experience. Even the hardcore acousmatics don't seem to believe that.

A key text (again !!) is What is a fact of music history : Dahlhaus K

IMV