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Post by ahinton on Sept 22, 2017 0:24:26 GMT -5
If I may address your final point directly, Alistair: The work will indeed be a symphonic statement, though not likely a symphony per se. As to it being "about the world as (I) see it", that would be quite another matter, as I am disinclined to believe that that a symphonic work for orchestra alone without vocal soloists and/or choir either would or could - still less should - convey any such thing to everyone who listens to it! Words are for that kind of thing. You have, for example, asked several questions of me here that relate directly or indirectly to bits and pieces of my world view and, having just caught up with them earlier this morning, I have endeavoured to answer them using the same medium as that in which you posed them - words. As I wrote elsewhere recently, Stravinsky's famous no-so-very-bon mot about music being incapable of expressing anthing beyond itself seems to me to be seeking the truth of what it can do but failing properly to find it; whoever it was that claimed for music that it was capable of expressing everything but naming nothing was far closer to the mark. The word "about" here is perhaps at the nub of the issue here; I think that it was Vaughan Williams who, when asked what one of his symphonies was "about", retorted "thirty-five minutes"! Anyway, do feel free to continue this exchange via email, my address being sorabji.archive@gmail.com . Yes, but as Ludwig Wittgenstein pointed out, words do not convey reality so much as distortions of reality, through jokes, for example. Reality itself is arguably unknowable! Ask not for meaning, Alistair; ask for use! I'm unsure that I was actually "asking" for anything but, as de la Rochfoucauld pointed out, language was given to man to conceal his thoughts; perhaps there might be an argument that musical language was given to man to conceal the thoughts that verbal language could not properly conceal...
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2017 1:29:55 GMT -5
If I may address your question directly, Alistair: If I may address your final point directly, Alistair: Yes, but as Ludwig Wittgenstein pointed out, words do not convey reality so much as distortions of reality, through jokes, for example. Reality itself is arguably unknowable! Ask not for meaning, Alistair; ask for use! I'm unsure that I was actually "asking" for anything but, as de la Rochfoucauld pointed out, language was given to man to conceal his thoughts; perhaps there might be an argument that musical language was give to man to conceal the thoughts that verbal language could not properly conceal... Communication, in its broadest sense, can be used not to communicate anything, as much as to communicate something specific of use!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2017 12:16:33 GMT -5
I feel that we ought to congratulate Alistair on taking on his first symphony. It is an honour to be part of the classical canon in such a way! Alistair has the freedom to decide how to shape his first symphony, but he seems to want only one movement! We await its world premiere with interest!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2017 12:52:55 GMT -5
I am tempted to abandon this project all together! There is so little interest in such a symphony, Alistair! My sincere apologies! c.
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Post by ahinton on Oct 7, 2017 13:27:50 GMT -5
I am tempted to abandon this project all together! There is so little interest in such a symphony, Alistair! My sincere apologies! c. "So little interest" from what source/s? You have seemed very enthusiastic about it from the start and it was your idea in the first place; it would be difficult to expect much speciofic and constructive interest from elsewhere until the work has been completed, surely?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2017 9:51:33 GMT -5
The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra is not the only orchestra who might be interested in your new symphony, Alistair! The Berlin Philharmonic, for example, might also be up for the challenge, particularly at the 2018 Proms! What do you think? I do not know whether funding will still be an issue, but we can but try! Music is composed to be performed! What other justification could there be for writing it?
All the best,
c.
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