Knockout

Two posts below this one I talk about Heather Mac Donald's recent article in City Journal, Classical Music's New Golden Age, and the internet battle that ensued when Greg Sandow challenged her arguments on his own blog.  I mentioned that Heather had responded but I had not yet read it. Well, now I have and it's not even close - Heather wins.  Her rebuttal to Sandow's curiously combative posts make me feel a bit sorry for the guy - he never had a chance.  Remind me never to get into an argument with Heather Mac Donald.  She's too smart, too well-prepared, marshals her facts too well, has too much reason and too much writing ability, for most of us to have a chance against her.  The original is linked to above, her rebuttal to Sandow is here.  Read them both.  Marvelous entertainment.

The argument Heather makes that reflects my own experience is the bounty of music available over the Internet: videos on YouTube, whether professional or amatuer; CDs and mp3 downloads for purchase on amazon.com and other sites; and classical music web sites where one can learn all there is to know about the music and those who compose and perform it.  She states "the classical recording industry is still shooting out more music than anyone can possibly take in over a lifetime" and I've found that to be true.  I set a goal for myself at the beginning of the year to learn fifty new classical pieces during the 2010 calendar year and I'm probably on pace to keep that goal.  However, there is so much more to learn it sometimes seems daunting.  I don't want to just have a passing acquaintance with the music, I want to know it like I know rock and roll music or baseball, deeply, authoritatively.  That will take years of listening and reading, a labor of love I'll relish.

You didn't think I'd let you get away without some music, did you? The other day I gave you the first movement of Brahms' Piano Trio #1 in B major.  Today I give you the second movement of Brahms' Piano Trio #2 in C major.  Brahms, I have found, benefits from repeated listenings more than most composers.  In fact, much of his music takes repeated listening before it sinks in, due perhaps to his long, langorous, melodic lines.  But once they sink in their beauty is unmistakable.  I listened to the C major trio this morning while working out and once I was through, I listened again.  It's all wonderful but I'm partial to the slow movement.  Enjoy.

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