Most misunderstood composer

[Rabrrrrrr]

Popular for the wrong reasons, or not popular because people just didn't/don't get his/her music and it didn't fit in the mainstream, or for whatever reason, just plain misunderstood, whether wallowing in obscurity or enjoying popularity but for the wrong reasons.

[Zomby Woof]

1. Zappa!

He used the commercial successes of "Don't Eat The Yellow Snow" and "Valley Girl" to great effect - he could fund his serious compositions and more challenging works. It was all deliberate. The trade-off was that to the mainstream, he was seen as some eccentric novelty act - an X-rated Weird Al or a post-modern Spike Jones, but it was okay in the end because he never gave a damn what the press, the critics, or the mainstream thought. He always said he worked for his fans. But he challenged his fans, and never settled for complacency or rested on his avant-garde laurels.

He may have given a damn more than he let on at times. He did express frustration at the lack of daring composers in the rock realm. He did write a book to set the record straight about who and what he was. But ultimately, the mass of the multitudes will forever remember him as "that 'Yellow Snow' guy", and that is THEIR loss. It was never his.

Approaching 10 years since his passing next month. His presence is sorely missed on the musical and sociopolitical landscape. A void that may never be refilled.

[Rooktoven]

4. Probably the most significant composer

of the second half of the 20th century.

He is missed.

[Rabrrrrrr]

11. Zappa got my vote

Even his fans didn't really "get" him, and were more into the "Oh, he's so wacked, man, so out of there, great to listen to when stoned, you know" kind of into him. Sad.

At least Pierre Boulez took him seriously, but it's too bad he wasn't taken more serious amongst the "academic" music set.

have you read his Real Frank Zappa book, in which he prints the speach he gave to the American Composer's Society (or some such organization) and berated them for their lack of courage, vision, and integrity? As well as insult American culture? It's great.

[Zomby Woof]

13. that's my bible

I bought it brand new in hardcover when it came out in the summer of 1989. I have only read it like, dozens of times. :-)

If you haven't, read Ben Watson's "Frank Zappa and The Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play", which is an amazingly analytical look at ALL of his work through a Marxist/Adornoist/Freudian/Joycean filter. It also is the most comprehensive breakdown of all incidents of "conceptual continuity". Watson is an English socialist who has read way too much Freud and Adorno, lol. But it is an interesting read, and Zappa himself approved of much of the content, not long before his passing.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Ooh, sounds cool! I've seen it, but thought it was just a biography

Obviously, far better than one!

I shall ask for it for Christmas. Unless I can't wait, in whch case I'll go buy it.

[Ellen Forradalom]

29. I wanted a passage from the 'Marriage as Dada' chapter read at my wedding

but I didn't get a copy in time. The other reading was on the nature of love from Plato's Symposium.

[flamingyouth]

2. Stravinsky

Although I agree about Zappa as well...

[Snow]

3. Joplin...

serious, talented composer, on a par with, say Chopin or Litzt, but in the wrong place at the wrong time and of the wrong color to get any appreciation as a serious composer.

[wtmusic]

5. Schoenberg

Common misconception that Schoenberg didn't care how the music sounded--that the 'math' was all that mattered

[Ellen Forradalom]

6. My dad

Raymond Wilding-White. He died two years ago. Miss the guy something terrible. List of works at http://www.wiscomposers.org/members/wilding-white.html. He kept busy didn't he?

[wtmusic]

7. Very cool

You 'follow in the footsteps' forradalom?

[Ellen Forradalom]

17. Oh hell no

He's a hard act to follow. I didn't even try.

[Rabrrrrrr]

8. Wow - that's some serious output!

I'd like to hear his settings of the psalms.

Imagine that, a prolific and serious composer, right there in my home state of WI. Woo hoo!

[Ellen Forradalom]

20. Where in WI?

He was on the faculty of DePaul in Chicago for many years, but retired to NE Wisconsin, east of Green Bay.

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. Where did he get his stuff performed?

I'm thinking especially of the psalms - was he active in a church that performed them and requested them? What about his other music?

Any sound clips of his music?

[Rabrrrrrr]

24. Kickin' cuz I'm curious for the answer!

Cheers!

[Ellen Forradalom]

28. Check your PM Rabrrrrrr

Thanks for being interested! Yes, he was involved in so many things I couldn't keep track.

[Red State Rebel]

27. Telemann

I played violin and loved playing his work.

[mitchum]

9. Stockhausen (for the kneejerk outrage in reaction to his 9/11...

statement) He was right. Also the first avant garde artist to actually shock the bourgeoisie in a long long time

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. What did he say?

I missed it.

I love his Helicopter Quartet. havea cool recording of it.

[mitchum]

12. He said that if one viewed the attacks as a performance piece...

they were unparalleled. He marveled at all of the planning involved for a temporal event (and of course, the lasting impression) Obviously he didn't condone 9/11, but his comments caused some consternation in Europe. The controversy didn't get much play here-- "Stock-who?"

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. Well, then, I think I'd have to agree with him

The attack was evil art, but yes, art it was.

And though I was personally affected by them, there is the part of me that IS impressed that they pulled it off. It had to tae a lot of planning, for a long time. That's true patience and long-term view of one's life.

Of course, they had a president who gave them a nice wink wink nudge nudge to help them out, but still, it was a long planning process and the execution (double use of word intended) was excellent.

[Karenina]

22. Yes he was.

I read his statements in 2 languages and was SHOCKED by the uproar. The guy is "special" and probably had it coming, if we're talking Karma. However, he was SPOT ON in his observations.

[BurtWorm]

26. I now have a reason for voting for someone

in the list above.

[Emboldened Chimp]

16. Duke Ellington!

People only know him for jazz and don't realize that he was also a great classical composer.

[fortyfeetunder]

18. Reflection on Mahler 9

I insisted my symphony-going buddy go and listen to Mahler's 9th...and she was just about disgusted that it was so morose, and depressing. Actually I think it's a beautiful piece. Considering Mahler is in his late 40's, loses his young child to illness, his wife is cheating on him, and he discovers he has a fatal heart condition, and mentally he's not all there. Mahler had such a tormented life he just couldn't put it all into words.

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. Yes, that one is beatiful!

I love Mahler. So emotional. It's all there, all human feelings, spiraling through the music every few minutes. I love it!

[FloridaJudy]

23. Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Classical Russian composer, remembered today for composing "pretty" ballets and symphonies.

Actually the *original* tortured genius: billiant, homosexual, and revolutionary. His music still moves me.

[Drifter]

25. Cheapness ...

in the case of a monster movie, has nothing to do with the budget of the film ... Although it helps.

Cheers
Drifter

Lets Be Frank !