Re: Viktor Ullman

[Ruth Rose <rose678...>]

Jeffrey,

>I find trying to define specific kinds of music to usually be a waste of
>time.  I write and perform a lot of different kinds of music, and am not too
>concerned whether people call it "Jewish" or not, or "classical" or "jazz" or
>whatever other label.

I couldn't agree more.

>However, to say that the Terezin composers, writing in
>a ghetto which was really a concentration camp for Jews to hear and for to
>hear, were not writing "Jewish" music seems to be a bit perverse.

I wasn't aware this was a discussion on political correctness!
I believe that outside their historical context, these composers' work is
subject to the same analysis as any other music. By not considering some of
their music "Jewish", I am not in any way trying to trivialize their
predicament, belittle their achievement, or criticize their qualities.
But to take the argument even further into a hypothetical aspect which falls
outside this whole discussion, there would be nothing perverse either about
facing up to the fact that all their music wasn't necessarily on the same
level. Setting different standards out of a sense of solidarity towards
these composers' tragic destiny takes away from the integrity of this or any
other discussion.

Ruth Rose