Reply to Gerben Z and others

[Ingemar Johansson <hebanon...>]

Gerben Zaagsma wrote:

> I've been on this list for a couple of months and up till now I've not
> mixed myself in any discussion between persons on this list. I have
> resisted many impulses to react to another personal attack by one person
> towards another. Doing that would mean engaging myself in the 'pollution'
> of this list that I find so idiotic. But now I've had it. I subscribed to
> this list because I am interested in what others have to say about jewish
> music. I didn't subscribe to see half of my mailbox filled with yet more
> mail by ego's fighting each other: so please, fight each other privately
> and leave this list for those interested in the subject it is meant for.

Dear Gerben:

Although I've got your point, I must state my opinion that Jewish Music is
not existing in a cultural void. One thing afflicting it is the way it is
reacted upon and reviewed by critics  This goes for music as well as for
any cultural activity. Example: a compatriot of yours like Tim Krabbé - a
minor author in my opinion - is quite well-known in Sweden due to the whims
of some leading critics, whereas an important writer like Jacques Hamelink
is more or less unknown. This has apparently to do with litterature. Right?

In the same way it must be permitted to discuss the role of leading critics
of Jewish Music. I did that in my mails on "Ari Dawidow as an authority"
some ten days ago. Although I got some private reactions of support, the
bulk of this mailing-list seems to have reacted not to what I actually
wrote, but to what it thinks was my bad behaviour. Critics shouldn't be
criticized, that's the conclusion I must draw ("Shame on you, Ingemar!" 
miewed the Cheshire Cat and her famous smile didn't even turn on), since
_none_ of _my_ critics discussed the topics I raised and was interested in,
which were musical - not personal - ones. It must be understood that the
power of those "intellectuals" who themselves (can)not create but has the
right to evaluate creative works is great, not to say overwhelming - and
may have a serious impact on the fate of the artist; I could mention
another compatriot of yours, Vincent Van Gogh, to illustrate that.

I declared then, that I - quite opposite to mr Davidow - consider Wolf
Krakowski's "Transmigrations" to be a decent and coherent work of art. I
still do, and here I support the artist, indeed, as to his own reactions
towards the misunderstandings of the critic. I, by the way, think that this
CD may have a future in Europe, the World Music Scene here being much more
flexible than in the States. This we could discuss, of course, but you have
to admit that this would have a relevance to music?

All the best,
Ingemar Johansson