MODERN OR CONTEMPORARY ?
For a long time now, probably since I started going to contemporary concerts some 20 years ago with my mother, the question keeps on coming back...what is the difference between contemporary and modern music ? Last week during a concert with Gianni, I asked the question. Yesterday at a lunch with Gianni, Laurent and Jerome, the question came up again.
It would seem that everyone has an answer. Some satisfactory some not. What was mine? Naturally like everyone else I went onto Internet and looked up what people had said on Forums and of course, Wikipedia...a lot was related to art and then the was a spark of light. Why don’t you too relate modern and contemporary music to art? I know what I like in art today and can this pleasure be related to music?
I am far from being a «realist» in art. Anything which is too real, too explicit turns me off. Yet a very good friend Murielle, has taught me a lot about the early history of art and I have come to accept and enjoy many of the Flemish Masters. Even to the extent of going to specific exhibitions in Holland to see them.
Sure I like the Impressionists (but little before them). I am not a romantic. When I talk about Monet to friends, it’s his last period when he had problems with vision that
I enjoy.
Something that can be defined but not all. Some of the pictures in Giverny are marvelous for that. «The Japanese Bridge» for instance...if I hadn’t said a bridge, would you have known ?
I like abstract art love the German period - Expressionism - «The Bridge», «The Blue Rider» Kirchner, Emil Nolde, Kandisky, Campendonk, Rotluff, Jawlensky,...and so many more. Distorted images and yet through their colour, their movement, they talk to me. Later when we get to dripping and Pollock, I am in raptures. Picasso, I will cross Europe to see an Exhibition of his - as I am doing so in a couple of weeks when I go to London. It’s not a matter of liking ALL their work. I don’t but I know WHEN I don’t like it. So I began to compare all the artists that I like or don’t like with contemporary or modern music.
Minimalist art I would think started in the 50’s or 60’s and is something I can accept. My own flat could be termed as minimalist as I only have a couple of pictures on the walls, furniture is scarce although the bookcase will need to be cleared - too many bits and pieces are now cluttering it up - but minimalist music I find hard to take. I’ll walk out on Steve Reich. But surprise surprise, last week we heard a young composer, Bryce Dessner (1976) played by the Kronos Quartet. His music - only 12 minutes «Aheym» I compared with Reich. But although minimalist it had, like in a painting - relief - Variation. Something that I could remember. Not just a boom boom sound which seemed to install itself like a headache in my mind. So modern music and contemporary can be the same. After all, Boulez, Ligetti, Kurtag could be modern or contemporary composers couldn’t they? Boulez work the other night for clarinet composed in 1985-1986 was a dream. The musician played for 19 minutes alone in three different positions on the right hand side of balcony and then three on the left hand side. When he moved from one place to the next, the computer and electronic sound of the clarinet took over. Divine. «Dialogue in a Double Shadow» It had colour, contrast, movement, sound which meant something and not just an installation of minimalism and electronic piercing sounds in my ears. I’ll be thinking much more about this in the future. There are still another 10 or more concerts to go to. This time I will try and «see» them in abstract painting form. Strange that I hadn’t thought of doing this before.
It would seem that everyone has an answer. Some satisfactory some not. What was mine? Naturally like everyone else I went onto Internet and looked up what people had said on Forums and of course, Wikipedia...a lot was related to art and then the was a spark of light. Why don’t you too relate modern and contemporary music to art? I know what I like in art today and can this pleasure be related to music?
I am far from being a «realist» in art. Anything which is too real, too explicit turns me off. Yet a very good friend Murielle, has taught me a lot about the early history of art and I have come to accept and enjoy many of the Flemish Masters. Even to the extent of going to specific exhibitions in Holland to see them.
Sure I like the Impressionists (but little before them). I am not a romantic. When I talk about Monet to friends, it’s his last period when he had problems with vision that
I enjoy.
I like abstract art love the German period - Expressionism - «The Bridge», «The Blue Rider» Kirchner, Emil Nolde, Kandisky, Campendonk, Rotluff, Jawlensky,...and so many more. Distorted images and yet through their colour, their movement, they talk to me. Later when we get to dripping and Pollock, I am in raptures. Picasso, I will cross Europe to see an Exhibition of his - as I am doing so in a couple of weeks when I go to London. It’s not a matter of liking ALL their work. I don’t but I know WHEN I don’t like it. So I began to compare all the artists that I like or don’t like with contemporary or modern music.
Minimalist art I would think started in the 50’s or 60’s and is something I can accept. My own flat could be termed as minimalist as I only have a couple of pictures on the walls, furniture is scarce although the bookcase will need to be cleared - too many bits and pieces are now cluttering it up - but minimalist music I find hard to take. I’ll walk out on Steve Reich. But surprise surprise, last week we heard a young composer, Bryce Dessner (1976) played by the Kronos Quartet. His music - only 12 minutes «Aheym» I compared with Reich. But although minimalist it had, like in a painting - relief - Variation. Something that I could remember. Not just a boom boom sound which seemed to install itself like a headache in my mind. So modern music and contemporary can be the same. After all, Boulez, Ligetti, Kurtag could be modern or contemporary composers couldn’t they? Boulez work the other night for clarinet composed in 1985-1986 was a dream. The musician played for 19 minutes alone in three different positions on the right hand side of balcony and then three on the left hand side. When he moved from one place to the next, the computer and electronic sound of the clarinet took over. Divine. «Dialogue in a Double Shadow» It had colour, contrast, movement, sound which meant something and not just an installation of minimalism and electronic piercing sounds in my ears. I’ll be thinking much more about this in the future. There are still another 10 or more concerts to go to. This time I will try and «see» them in abstract painting form. Strange that I hadn’t thought of doing this before.
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