Re: [Harp-L] Music

["Josh King " <joshuaking@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yeah, you can get some great deals at Wal-mart. :)
Can we work on some Beethoven next week?  I'm reading the book on him.  Working on that Bach piece too. 
 I'm having way to much fun dueling harps with a neighbor I can't see but I sure can hear!   A little competition helps you play better. 
Josh King
www.joshuaking.net
------Original Message------From: Robert BonfiglioSender: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: [Harp-L] MusicSent: May 27, 2009 10:46 PM
> It's time for music to go somewhere else.  It's not that the  > players aren't good at what they do; it's that we've heard it all  > before.  We know where they are going before they get there.   > Everything is so bloody safe!

I sent that comment a while back and got several examples of  different music with different instruments. I have finally had time  to listen to all of the cuts.
  Most of it was modal with virtuosic players jamming over the mode  with sometimes odd plucked instruments.  All of it was in one groove  through the piece; all of it was in song form, all of it was guitar  driven, all of it was fast, loud and male.
Here were some of the things I found missing - change of groove, most  grooves stayed the same through the song.  Complicated forms, most  were jams on a song.  Big changes in dynamics, texture.  A move away  from guitar based everything.  Modulations into new keys.  Use of  diminished and half diminished harmonies or any odd harmony.   Good,  strong melodic structure.  Development.  Extended forms.  Disturbance  of the groove, form or harmony. Complete mood changes.  Anybody  playing pianissimo. and on and on.  The tools available for Beethoven  are now longer being used.
In other words, most everybody is blowing their brains out on fast  stuff over the same groove throughout a song.  Is this music?  or is  this mine is bigger than yours?
I still say, it's time for music to go somewhere else.  It's not that  the players aren't good at what they do; it's that we've heard it all  before.  We know where they are going before they get there.   Everything is so bloody safe!
Makes me want to go shopping at Walmart.
harmonically yours,
Robert Bonfigliohttp://www.robertbonfiglio.com
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