[HANASHIR:12156] Re: What is "Great Music"?

[Judy Hudspeth <jwshudspeth...>]

I get really frustrated thinking that there are those who believe that just 
because it's old (Bach Beethoven Brahms, blah blah etc.) it's got to be 
"moving" and "high spirit" and just because it's recent it's without "depth" 
or "spiritual merit."  And I guess I also take issue with those who think 
that because we enjoy "Contemporary Jewish Music" we are NOT walking around 
humming the "1812 Overture," or "Ode To Joy."  I would like to think that 
music is a pathway to the soul, and that one might take various - varied - 
paths to reach that goal. (Have you heard Danny Maseng's "Elohai N'Tzor?"  
And I doubt he's over 100 years old.  Probably closer to 40, I suspect.) I 
would hope that the music I hear, traditional and contemporary, would help 
me to reach toward that spiritual moment, and not be based on an ageism 
bias.

Happy New Year.

Judy Lewis


>From: Edward Katz <eekatzmd (at) yahoo(dot)ca>
>Reply-To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org
>Subject: [HANASHIR:12131] Re: What is "Great Music"?
>Date: Sun, 8 Sep 2002 18:17:57 -0400 (EDT)
>
>I haven't seen the article, and don't know where I
>might obtain a copy. But I am entirely in agreement
>with its contents, as reflected in the message.
>Today's music audiences and congregations require
>instant gratification. There's no time to learn to
>appreciate Bach, Mozart or Beethoven; the same applies
>to Sultzer, Lewandowski, or Naumbourg. If you can't
>hum it on your way out of shul, it's not worth
>bothering with. This reflects the pop culture
>mentality of 20th/21st century North America. This
>seems to apply to all religious denominations, judging
>from the modern, guitar-infested church services which
>I occasionally catch glimpses of on TV.
>
>Edward Katz, M.D.
>Member, Shaare Zion Congregation Choir, Montreal
>Former Member, Montreal Symphony Orchestra Chorus
>
>
>
>
>
>______________________________________________________________________
>Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca
>




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