Re: Yes! Judaism: A HEADNOTE

[Alex J. Lubet <lubet001...>]

Seth Austen wrote:

> on 3/12/03 7:58 PM, I. Oppenheim at i(dot)oppenheim (at) xs4all(dot)nl wrote:
>
> >> And just who is the official judge of who has or
> >> hasn't earned the title of "artist."
> >
> > That is your audience, I would say.
>
> Popularity (or lack of same) isn't necessarily the best way to judge
> artistic merit. Many great composers were ignored during their lifetimes.

Although we are all told this in our music classes when we are growing up,
I'm hard put to think of an example.  Franz Schubert comes closest and I
believe he's the one around whom this idea gravitates, but even he had his
loyal bunch of followers.  A few went out of fashion to some extent (Mozart
and Bach come to mind), but I honestly can't think of a single major composer
who didn't have a respectable career during some part of his/her life.  Maybe
Mussorgsky,  Even Ives was 'discovered' before he died.

Perhaps there's an example or two out there, but they'd be the exceptions
that prove the rule.  In general, one becomes an accomplished composer
through professional experience, which means one must some sort of career and
thus at least a little notoriety during one's life.



>
>
> Seth
>
> --
> Seth Austen
>
> http://www.sethausten.com
> email: seth (at) sethausten(dot)com
>

--
Alex Lubet, Ph. D.
Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Music
Adjunct Professor of American and Jewish Studies
Head, Division Of Composition and Music Theory
University of Minnesota
2106 4th St. S
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612 624-7840 612 624-8001 (fax)


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