Benjamin Boretz “Words for Music, Perhaps”? Texts, 1975-2013

Benjamin Boretz

“Words for Music, Perhaps”?

Texts, 1975-2013

Stockhausen: Donnerstag aus Licht Current Musicology forM(a music) Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 18 September 1985 On Hearing FORUM82* at Symphony Space, New York by BENJAMIN BORETZ November 13, 1982, from 3 to 6 P.M. articulate forM(a music) Myis incarnateidea of a useful composer isform someone who leads you to your own musicarticulate Ð makes a composer of you. is incarnate fingertips Things are coming down as pieces Not all personal form acts are private. articulate voices fingertips But all personal acts are not incarnate public. articulate voices that shouldn't be pieces. Masterpiece composition is obso- incarnate lete, as a usable social medium. Formal acts which assert the articulate incarnations obsolescence of masterpiece articulate compo-incarnations articulate incarnate sition are on identical articulate grounds incarnate articulations incarnate They shouldn't be coming down as pieces. obsolete. articulations incarnate Reputation is the public space. What's left over that's neededvoice what should they be? is the personal space. Badlyforms needed but not adequatelyfingertip voiceor authentically being attendedfingertips to by anyone with ego or talentformsform enough to not compose an fingertipopera.voices (DONNERSTAG AUS LICHT: somethingfingertips I, There shouldn't be pieces. personally, needed to know to know why, personally, it wasn't,form What should there be isn't, something I needed voicesdone for me.)

11/82 (NEWS OF MUSIC, March 1986)B.A.B. March 1975

*part of an all-day "festival of music from around the world" sponsored by Composers' Forum

Marjorie Tichenor, for whom this text was composed, composed a remarkable vocal composition out of her recorded reading of it.

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Marjorie Tichenor, for whom this text was composed, composed a remarkable vocal composition out of her recorded reading of it.

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11/82 (NEWS OF MUSIC, March 1986)B.A.B. March 1975

*part of an all-day "festival of music from around the world" sponsored by Composers' Forum

Marjorie Tichenor, for whom this text was composed, composed a remarkable vocal composition out of her recorded reading of it.

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Marjorie Tichenor, for whom this text was composed, composed a remarkable vocal composition out of her recorded reading of it.

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Stockhausen:Stockhausen: Donnerstag Donnerstag aus aus Licht Licht PROLOGUEPROLOGUE TO TO(“Whose (“Whose Time, Time, What What Space”): Space”): [A Seminar[A Seminar Talk Talk at Eastman at Eastman*] *] RoyalRoyal Opera Opera House, House, Covent Covent Garden, Garden, London, London, 18 18September September 1985 1985 BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz by byBENJAMIN BENJAMIN BORETZ BORETZ OliviaOl Mattisivia Mattis was givingwas giving a historical a historical seminar seminar at the at Eastman the Eastman School School of of My Myidea idea of ofa usefula useful composer composer MusicMusic on composers on composers who whowere were also critics;also critics; Bob MorrisBob Morris suggested suggested she she is issomeone someone who who leads leads you you to toyour your ownown music music Ð makesÐ makes a composera composer of of inviteinvite two suchtwo such living living people people who who—not —not quite quite coincidentally coincidentally — live — live you.you. next nextdoor door to each to each other other in the in surroundings the surroundings of Bard of Bard College College in upstate in upstate NotNot all all personal personal acts acts are are private. private. ButBut all all personal personal acts acts are are not not New NewYork York — Kyle — KyleGann Gann was thewas other the other — to — talk to totalk the to seminar the seminar about about public.public. theirtheir accumulated accumulated insights insights from from within within that thatrole —role Kyle — Kylefor the for last the last MasterpieceMasterpiece composition composition is isobso- obso- lete,lete, as asa usablea usable social social medium. medium. fifteenfift oreen so or years so years writing writing for The for VillageThe Village Voice Voice and elsewhere,and elsewhere, I having I having FormalFormal acts acts which which assert assert the the beenbeen Musi Music Criticc Critic for The for NationThe Nation during during the 1960s. the 1960s. Kyle Kyletalked talked first, first, obsolescenceobsolescence of ofmasterpiece masterpiece compo- compo- recreatingrecreating expansively, expansively, in the in terms the terms of his of personal his personal history, history, the the sitionsition are are on onidentical identical grounds grounds obsolete.obsolete. celebratorycelebratory story story his book his book tells tellsof the of rise the of rise “his” of new“his” newgeneration generation of of ReputationReputation is isthe the public public space. space. AmericanAmerican music music (Later (Later on he on did he remark did remark that thathe had he oncehad once tried tried to live to live What'sWhat's left left over over that's that's needed needed is isthe the personal personal space. space. Badly Badly in [my]in [my]world, world, but it but was it toowas suffocating too suffocating — he — needed he needed more more oxygen, oxygen, he he neededneeded but but not not adequately adequately or or said.)said.) Our listenersOur listeners were were graduate graduate students students and professorsand professors — I saw — I saw authenticallyauthentically being being attended attended to toby byanyone anyone with with ego ego or ortalent talent amongamong them them my old my friend old friend Bob MorrisBob Morris and myand new my newfriend friend Martin Martin enoughenough to tonot not compose compose an anopera. opera. Scherzinger;Scherzinger; Martin Martin in particular in particular leapt leapt into intothe post-lecture the post-lecture (DONNERSTAG(DONNERSTAG AUS AUS LICHT: LICHT: something something I, I, personally,personally, needed needed to toknow know to to discussion,discussion, with with familiar familiar laser-energetic laser-energetic sharpness, sharpness, indicting indicting and and knowknow why, why, personally, personally, it itwasn't, wasn't, convcoictingnvicting my texts my texts of an of interesting an interesting if possibly if possibly illicit illicit fusion fusion of naive of naive isn't,isn't, something something I neededI needed done done forfor me.) me.) romanticromantic mysticism mysticism and manipulativeand manipulative disingenuous disingenuous duplicity, duplicity, perhapsperhaps accounting accounting for their for their strange strange transformation transformation of the of sound the sound of of (NEWS(NEWS OF OFMUSIC, MUSIC, March March 1986) 1986) the musicthe music we listened we listened to at to the at end. the Theend. talkThe aftertalk after that thatwent went on so on long so long that thatOlivia Olivia had tohad disappear to disappear to get to her get bus her home bus home to Buffalo to Buffalo well beforewell before we allwe fi nallyall finally subsided subsided to the to coffee the coffee shop shop next nextdoor. door. [My offering,[My offering, slightlyslightly modified modified by afterthoughts, by afterthoughts, follows.] follows.]

ComposingComposing music, music, playing playing music, music, listening listening to music, to music, thinking thinking and andwriting writing aboutabout music: music: each each and andall plausible all plausible as a as person’s a person’s possible possible self-gratifying, self-gratifying, self- self- fulfilfulfilling lingoccupation. occupation. Writing Writing public public music music criticism criticism or professional or professional discourse, discourse, like teaching,like teaching, create create a radically a radically different different existential existential condition: condition: a projection a projection of of

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ProloguePrologue to (“Whose to (“Whose Time, Time, What What Space”) Space”) BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz self-presenceself-presence — the — thepublic public enactment enactment of a of consciously a consciously constructed, constructed, self- self- certaicertain kind.n kind. But Butthose those predicates predicates are arenot notnecessarily necessarily connected connected to the to the overlayedoverlayed persona persona rather rather than than the thelocalized localized being being of a of person a person — into — into the the experiencedexperienced facts facts of any of any person’s person’s life. life. consciconsciousnessousness of others, of others, where where the theeffect effect at the at thereceiving receiving end end is the is themain main 2. Take2. Take history: history: it is ita isdeterminate a determinate reification reification of the of theantecedence antecedence of our of our outputoutput of consequence. of consequence. That’s That’s a vastly a vastly more more complex complex and and ambiguous ambiguous social, social, sentientsentient existence, existence, a demonstrated a demonstrated perspective perspective on who on who we are,we are, on where on where we we ethical,ethical, intellectual, intellectual, expressive expressive situation. situation. And And pretty pretty dubious dubious and and are.are. Its truths Its truths are areinescapable, inescapable, and and pervasively pervasively account account for formajor major aspects aspects of of unpromisingunpromising ground ground for self-realization,for self-realization, too. too. Looking Looking back back (it’s (it’sbeen been a long a long the theworld world that that directly directly and and significantly significantly affect affect everyone’s everyone’s life. life.Nevertheless, Nevertheless, time)time) I wonder I wonder if there if there isn’t isn’t just just a terminal a terminal paradox paradox in the in theidea idea of of personspersons do not do notperforce perforce experience experience their their conscious conscious living living as history, as history, as as synchronouslysynchronously constructing constructing a public-persuasive a public-persuasive exterior exterior persona persona alongside alongside of of historicalhistorical events, events, or qualify or qualify their their experience experience in the in thevocabulary vocabulary of historical of historical an interioran interior compositional-creative compositional-creative focus focus on theon theprecise precise (it-)projection (it-)projection of such of such predicates.predicates. You You could could say saythat that history history proceeds, proceeds, in a in self-defined, a self-defined, self- self- specificspecific singular singular modes modes of being of being as: musical as: musical compositions. compositions. On theOn theother other hand hand contcontainedained way, way, on theon theoutside outside of most of most people’s people’s lived lived lives, lives, accumulating accumulating and and inhabitinginhabiting such such a paradoxical a paradoxical duality duality does does induce induce a singular a singular intensity intensity of self- of self- accessibleaccessible at any at any time time by observations by observations which which can can be perceived be perceived by anyone by anyone as as reflreectionflection , a state , a state of uneasy of uneasy awareness awareness that that opens opens a perspective a perspective from from which which true,tr withoutue, without being, being, except except in that in that sense, sense, the theactual actual content content of anyone’s of anyone’s to viewto view the theentire entire host host of paradoxes, of paradoxes, confusions, confusions, denials denials by which by which the the experiencedexperienced life-events. life-events. You You could could say saythat that historical historical facts facts about about your your own own machinerymachinery of ‘normal’ of ‘normal’ public public metamusical metamusical behavior behavior is enabled. is enabled. timetime are arepublic-global public-global facts, facts, and and that that there there are arewhat what you you might might call callperson- person- SomeSome such such consciousness consciousness was was at least at least implicit implicit in some in some of my of mylater later — more — more localizedlocalized facts facts which which more more likely likely constitute constitute the theexperienced experienced contents contents of being of being radicallyradically “political” “political” — pieces — pieces in The in TheNation Nation during during the thelate late 1960s; 1960s; and and much much of of alive.alive. So there So there are arethings things which which are areunquestionably unquestionably true true of your of your lifetime lifetime as as my mywork work since since then then seems seems to have to have been been written written and and composed composed in its in shadow: its shadow: publicpublic facts facts about about it, which it, which are arelikely likely inter-opaque inter-opaque with with your your (person-local) (person-local) so, inso, 1978, in 1978, in L inanguage Language ,as a ,as music, a music, I had I had my my earnestly earnestly self-conscious self-conscious professor- professor- experienceexperience of your of your own own life. life. charactercharacter say, say,in his in letterhis letter to his to oldhis oldmentor: mentor: 3. So3. too So toothere there are aretruths truths about about music music as a as historical a historical phenomenon, phenomenon, as a as public- a public- “We“We may may not notspeak speak as we as perceive,we perceive, but butwe willwe will soon soon enough enough be be in-the-worldin-the-world phenomenon: phenomenon: demonstrable demonstrable historical historical facts, facts, like likeaesthetic aesthetic perceivingperceiving as we as havewe have spoken.” spoken.” evolutionsevolutions and and contingencies, contingencies, concretized concretized meta-phenomena meta-phenomena like like“High “High BaroBaque”,roque”, “Mannerist”, “Mannerist”, or “Modernist”, or “Modernist”, creating creating perceptions perceptions and and associations; associations; which,which, as I asthink I think about about it now it now in the in thecontext context of our of oursubject, subject, is less is less a a therethere are aregeneralized generalized categorical categorical technical technical facts, facts, as “tonal”, as “tonal”, “serial”, “serial”, “microtonal” “microtonal” sophisticatedsophisticated program program for socialfor social action action or epistemic or epistemic self-analysis self-analysis than than a a creatingcreating wholescale wholescale substitutions substitutions in perception in perception of named of named identities identities for rawfor raw symptomaticsymptomatic expression expression of the of theradical radical insufficiency insufficiency in the in thedistinctions distinctions being being sonicsonic blips; blips; particular particular theoretical theoretical facts facts like like“6/4 “6/4chord”, chord”, “Sonata “Sonata Form”, Form”, mademade in that in that professor’s professor’s world world among among wildly wildly disparate disparate phenomena phenomena which which all all “hexac“hexachordalhordal combinatoriality”, combinatoriality”, “cadence”, “cadence”, organizing organizing perceptions perceptions into into go undergo under the thesame same names, names, under under the thepretext pretext or delusion or delusion of having of having common common negotiablenegotiable familiar familiar packages; packages; there there are areaesthetic-critical aesthetic-critical facts, facts, like like“post- “post- denotations.denotations. So ‘music’ So ‘music’ can can be fully be fully encompassed encompassed by any by any number number of mutually of mutually WebernWebern seria sel”,ria “heavyl”, “heavy metal”, metal”, “world “world music”, music”, “indeterminate”, “indeterminate”, “complex”, “complex”, exclusiveexclusive rubrics, rubrics, each each of which of which not notonly only encompasses encompasses it totally, it totally, but butis totally is totally “bubblegum”,“bubblegum”, “post-Modern”, “post-Modern”, “minimalist”, “minimalist”, “Gospel”; “Gospel”; and and cultural cultural facts, facts, like like opaqueopaque to — to and — and incompatible incompatible with with — any — any of the of thephenomena phenomena or properties or properties nationalnational identities, identities, ethnic ethnic traits, traits, sociological sociological facts, facts, like like“glam “glam ”, “academic”., ”, “academic”., “ “ denoteddenoted by any by any of the of theothers. others. Such Such as: as: downtown”;downtown”; political political facts, facts, like like“hegemonic”, “hegemonic”, “socialist “socialist realist“ realist“ or “decadent”; or “decadent”; 1. Hi1.story. History. Politics. Politics. Theory. Theory. Ideology. Ideology. They They do, unquestionably,do, unquestionably, exist, exist, and and they they ideologicalideological facts, facts, like like“feminist” “feminist” or “formalist”; or “formalist”; value-judgment value-judgment facts, facts, like like eachea havech have their their fact-telling fact-telling vocabularies, vocabularies, each each of which of which creates creates facts facts of a of a “immortal”,“immortal”, “masterpiece”, “masterpiece”, or their or their contraries contraries — all — of all which of which help help you you to locate to locate

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Prologue to (“Whose Time, What Space”) Benjamin Boretz yourself and some music in terms of appropriate personal distances and so- over and above those categoricals — perhaps, in some people, as a superior created typicalities — and whatever else. But how any of these predications, performance within their terms. But in any case, as something personally and which of them in particular, are going to determine or affect the meaningful outside of the cultural-historical-political-technical-theoretical- experience of some music transaction at some person-time moment — or ideological-sociological meaning it may have. whether they will at all — is not given merely in that they are assertible and, 5. So a composer, in writing publicly about music, might particularly — given the pliability of music for any use words decide to put it to, paradoxically — want to project the uniqueness and mutability, rather than demonstrable and — therefore — true. In other words, that something is true the generality and certainty, of any musical experience, against the grain of in its context doesn’t mean it’s relevant or palpable in every context; and in the supposed public “need” for music — in favor of possible person-local fact, all the different actual and possible contexts taken together — well, music-needs (say, for deverbalized expression) of any possible persons within there’s no way anyone can possibly take them all together at a time, even if that public; might transplant into the institutional world the language of the there are no actual contradictions among them. In fact, there are — must be, personal-experiential-ambiguous, rather than the external-world-certain, at least in some initiatory phase of someone’s life, purely private-seeming sense of some music. And so the music criticisms and descriptions composed experiences of music which have apparent properties entirely unrelated to by such people might reach for other vocabularies and grammars than those the whole array of public facts and images. Whether or not these private of the generalizing categories, to seek for a verbal territory commensurate, or properties are discernible within the environment of unremitting public- trying to commensurate, with the sensed sense of music from within an music imagery, and however powerfully their experiencing is affected and essentially incompatible space. Which, naturally, tends in practice to produce inflected by the public discourse, it is still in their terms that anyone’s actual confusions and incoherence — social, if not cognitive — not so different from experience actually takes place. That in fact underlies any intensity of those produced by the contradictions implicit in the institutionalized public engagement with which the experience of music is invested, any way that exhibitions of the works of expression themselves. music is not simply received as a verbal-type utterance, just articulated by other means, in music sound The public-music imagery can create music 6. Living, along with lots of other people, within this confusion-energized experiences completely in its image: that is entirely evident and internalized fragmented space, I’ve produced words, music, and committed persistent within everyone in a common-cultural space, but in our common-cultural attempted pedagogy; the tensions and contradictions I’ve been talking about space at least, it’s not what music, as music, as expressive art, ultimately does have been stimulating rather than inhibiting, like mind-sets that elicit with, for, or to you. particular intuitions whose ideological origins are not necessarily evident. An idea, that is, is not ever an illustration of points made elsewhere. But there’s a 4. Now every composer, in the act of composing, is composing in a historical piece called “(Whose Time, What Space)”, which I first composed, performed, time, in some historical way, some cultural way, some technical way, some and recorded (for a school occasion) in 1986, and which I’ve recomposed for theoretical way, some ideological way, some sociological way — but a this event, which you may feel free to consider a continuation of this text by composer, in the act of composing, is not likely to be consciously enacting other means: these — at least, not all of these — ontologies within her composing- consciousness. It’s unusual for a composer to think of her work as first and foremost an example of some category, a manifestation of some tendency — at least for the composer, there’s something in the music outside, or at least

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ProloguePrologue to (“Whose to (“Whose Time, Time, What What Space”) Space”) BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz yourselfyourself and and some some music music in terms in terms of appropriate of appropriate personal personal distances distances and and so- so- overov ander and above above those those categoricals categoricals — perhaps, — perhaps, in some in some people, people, as a as superior a superior createdcreated typicalities typicalities — and — and whatever whatever else. else. But Buthow how any any of these of these predications, predications, performanceperformance within within their their terms. terms. But Butin any in any case, case, as something as something personally personally andand which which of them of them in particular, in particular, are aregoing going to determineto determine or affect or affect the the meaningfulmeaningful outside outside of the of thecultural-historical-political-technical-theoretical- cultural-historical-political-technical-theoretical- experienceexperience of some of some music music transaction transaction at some at some person-time person-time moment moment — or — or ideological-sociologicalideological-sociological meaning meaning it may it may have. have. whetherwhether they they will will at all at — all is — not is notgiven given merely merely in that in that they they are areassertible assertible and, and, 5. So5. a So composer, a composer, in writ in writing ingpublicly publicly about about music, music, might might particularly particularly — — giveginve then thepliability pliability of music of music for anyfor any use usewords words decide decide to put to putit to, it to, paradoxicallyparadoxically — want — want to project to project the theuniqueness uniqueness and and mutability, mutability, rather rather than than demonstrabledemonstrable and and — therefore — therefore — true. — true. In other In other words, words, that that something something is true is true the thegenerality generality and and certainty, certainty, of any of any musical musical experience, experience, against against the thegrain grain of of in itsin context its context doesn’t doesn’t mean mean it’s relevantit’s relevant or palpable or palpable in every in every context; context; and and in in the the supposed supposed public public “need” “need” for musicfor music — in — favor in favor of possible of possible person-local person-local fact,fact, all the all thediffer different entactual actual and and possible possible contexts contexts taken taken together together — well, — well, music-needsmusic-needs (say, (say, for deverbalizedfor deverbalized expression) expression) of any of any possible possible persons persons within within there’sthere’s no way no way anyone anyone can can possibly possibly take take them them all together all together at a at time, a time, even even if if thatthat public; public; might might transplant transplant into into the theinstitutional institutional world world the thelanguage language of the of the therethere are areno actual no actual contradictions contradictions among among them. them. In fact, In fact, there there are are— must — must be, be, personal-experiential-ambiguous,personal-experiential-ambiguous, rather rather than than the theexternal-world-certain, external-world-certain, at leastat least in some in some initiatory initiatory phase phase of someone’s of someone’s life, life,purely purely private-seeming private-seeming sensesense of some of some music. music. And And so the so themusic music criticisms criticisms and and descriptions descriptions composed composed experiencesexperiences of music of music which which have have apparent apparent properties properties entirely entirely unrelated unrelated to to by suchby such people people might might reach reach for otherfor other vocabularies vocabularies and and grammars grammars than than those those the thewhole whole array array of public of public facts facts and and images. images. Whether Whether or not or notthese these private private of theof thegeneralizing generalizing categories, categories, to seek to seek for afor verbal a verbal territory territory commensurate, commensurate, or or propertiesproperties are arediscernible discernible within within the theenvironment environment of unremitting of unremitting publicpublic- tryitrying tong commensurate, to commensurate, with with the thesensed sensed sense sense of music of music from from within within an an musicmusic imagery, imagery, and and however however powerfully powerfully their their experiencing experiencing is affected is affected and and essentiallyessentially incompatible incompatible space. space. Which, Which, naturally, naturally, tends tends in practice in practice to produce to produce inflectedinflected by the by thepublic public discourse, discourse, it is it still is still in their in their terms terms that that anyone’s anyone’s actual actual confconfusionsusions and and incoherence incoherence — social, — social, if not if notcognitive cognitive — not — notso different so different from from experienceexperience actually actually takes takes place. place. That That in fact in fact underlies underlies any any intensity intensity of of thosethose produced produced by the by thecontradictions contradictions implicit implicit in the in theinstitutionalized institutionalized public public engagementengagement with with which which the theexperience experience of music of music is invested, is invested, any any way way that that exhibitionsexhibitions of the of theworks works of expression of expression themselves. themselves. musicmusic is not is notsimply simply received received as a as verbal-type a verbal-type utterance, utterance, just just articulated articulated by by otherother means, means, in music in music sound sound The The public-music public-music imagery imagery can can create create music music 6. Livi6. Living, alongng, along with with lots lots of other of other people, people, within within this this confusion-energized confusion-energized experiencesexperiences completely completely in its in image: its image: that that is entirely is entirely evident evident and and internalized internalized fragmentedfragmented space, space, I’ve producedI’ve produced words, words, music, music, and and committed committed persistent persistent withinwithin everyo everyone inne a in common-cultural a common-cultural space, space, but butin our in ourcommon-cultural common-cultural attemptedattempted pedagogy; pedagogy; the thetensions tensions and and contradictions contradictions I’ve I’vebeen been talking talking about about spacespace at least, at least, it’s notit’s notwhat what music, music, as music, as music, as expressive as expressive art, art,ultimately ultimately does does havehave been been stimulating stimulating rather rather than than inhibiting, inhibiting, like like mind-sets mind-sets that that elicit elicit with,with, for, for,or to or you. to you. particularparticular intuitions intuitions whose whose ideological ideological origins origins are arenot notnecessarily necessarily evident. evident. An An idea,idea, that that is, is is, not is notever ever an illustration an illustration of points of points made made elsewhere. elsewhere. But Butthere’s there’s a a 4. Now4. Now every ev erycomposer, composer, in the in theact actof composing, of composing, is composing is composing in a in historical a historical piecepiece called called “(Whose “(Whose Time, Time, What What Space)”, Space)”, which which I first I first composed, composed, performed, performed, time,time, in some in some historical historical way, way, some some cultural cultural way, way, some some technical technical way, way, some some andand recorded recorded (for (for a school a school occasion) occasion) in 1986, in 1986, and and which which I’ve I’verecomposed recomposed for for theoreticaltheoretical way, way, some some ideological ideological way, way, some some sociological sociological way way — but — buta a thisthis event, event, which which you you may may feel feel free free to consider to consider a continuation a continuation of this of this text text by by composer,composer, in the in theact actof composing, of composing, is not is notlikely likely to be to consciously be consciously enacting enacting otherother means: means: thesethese — at — least, at least, not notall of all these of these — ontologies — ontologies within within her hercomposing- composing- consciousness.consciousness. It’s unusualIt’s unusual for afor composer a composer to think to think of her of herwork work as first as first and and foremostforemost an example an example of some of some category, category, a manifestation a manifestation of some of some tendency tendency — — at leastat least for thefor thecomposer, composer, there’s there’s something something in the in themusic music outside, outside, or at or least at least

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Prologue to (“Whose Time, What Space”)

[Whose Time, What Space is, at first, a text which I performed by setting myself up as an overloaded one-person ensemble, hanging as many soundmakers of various types on my body as it could possibly hold, then adding a couple more. That physical situation was a significant score for this performance, as you can imagine. Four music-descriptive texts follow, interacting in various ways with the musics they engage.]

[The CD: “Whose Time, What Space”, version of 4/2002]

April/September 2002

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Prologue to (“Whose Time, What Space”)

[The CD: “Whose Time, What Space”, version of 4/2002]

April/September 2002 Experiencing music is bringing into being a singular time-space identity, received from a singular perspective of location.

A peculiarity of any music experiencing is that no physical time-space-location-occasion (observable and quantifiable in referential, intersubjective terms) can be designated as being the time or space or occasion identity of a music experiencing.

The real time and space and occasion of music experiencing are psychic time and space and occasion.

And the psychic time and space and occasion of a music experiencing are fully contingent upon the specific coincident physical times and physical spaces and real-world occasions within which that music experiencing occurs.

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(soundtrack 1) (a Korean court music)

A five mile long Benjamin Boretz dragon moves through All the psychic and physical time, a winding course, space and occasion identities are undetachably interdependent: are, in fact, all its parts, indivisible and mutually create each other; organically connected, a music experiencing is thus a comprehen- sive totality which comprises a particular following its head convergence of identified psychic and physi- around each corner at cal times, spaces, and occasions. inconceivably remote distances, but always, unimaginably, inexorably, performing

the precise maneuver

predestined over a

humanly

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(soundtrack 1) (a Korean court music)

the precise maneuver

predestined over a

humanly

-143- unencompassable space, from head to inconceivably distant tail.

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Time (soundtrack 2) (a Mozart symphony slow movement) stretches

transcendently, The universe is emptied of all but a beyond any droplet of matter, which as we enter it progressively metastasizes into a hermetically measurable sealed unpeopled metauniverse composing itself flow, in accumulating ener gies of complexly by the balancing dynamisms, growing again to the size overwhelming of the whole universe again but now within our own transcendently reinitialized mental space. magnitude Time is invisibly undone, insidiously of each reconstituted under the force of the invisible dragon-move inexorable intangible ferocity within the event. universe contained within this droplet of matter in which we are immersed, which is within our mind.

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Time (soundtrack(soundtrack 2) 2) (a(a Mozart Mozart symphony symphony slow slow movement) movement) stretches transcendently, TheThe universe universe is is emptied emptied of of all all but but a a beyond any dropletdroplet of of matter, matter, which which as as we we enter enter it it progressivelyprogressively metastasizes metastasizes into into a a hermetically hermetically measurable sealedsealed unpeopled unpeopled metauniverse metauniverse composing composing itself itself flow, inin accumulating accumulating ener energiesgies of of complexly complexly by the balancingbalancing dynamisms, dynamisms, growing growing again again to to the the size size overwhelming ofof the the whole whole universe universe again again but but now now within within our our ownown transcendently transcendently reinitialized reinitialized mental mental space. space. magnitude TiTimeme isis ininvisiblyvisibly undone, undone, insidiously insidiously of each reconstitutedreconstituted under under the the force force of of the the invisible invisible dragon-move inexorableinexorable intangible intangible ferocity ferocity within within the the event. universeuniverse contained contained within within this this droplet droplet of of matter matter inin which which we we are are immersed, immersed, which which is is within within our our mind.mind.

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202019 Benjamin Boretz Current Musicology

soundtrack 3: (Soundtrack 4) (Milton Babbitt’s First Piano Concerto) (the stretch of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring from the opening bassoon solo to its semitone-depressed recollection)

You could call it unfiltered megaSchoenberg in jazztime beginning with the very first singlenote sound... continuity (not poptime or

modernmusictime, either) ...a keening primordial whine, a trembling hover, suddenly sending but what I most love about seismic chills down its own spine, sprouting eerie excrescences that merge with it, twisting it into a ghoulish glide through that Milton’s Concerto is its soundandtimespace environment that woodwinds simultaneously create gritted integrity being and slither through, arrested electrically by stinging stringtrills defiant unregenerate militant traumatically freezing action, woodwinds as traumatically unfreezing it, splintering into myriad simultaneities of tiny frenzies interweaving Positivist music, sternly askance but blankly oblivious of one another, the desolate whine now anent the softheaded stylewaffling reemerging in ever so emptier a space, oddly discolored, dislocated of the gegenwärtliche jugend, now, its spasms now feeble in the aftermath of whatever it was that happened. . . a relentlessly uningratiatingly polyfrantically multilayered senseassertive discourse here being socially publically sonically displayed and exposed to be sure but unmistakably demanding for adequate reception ultimately that it be studied minutely and intently in printform uncompromisingly exhaustively inexhaustibly

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22 BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz CurrentCurrent Musicology Musicology soundtracksoundtrack 3: 3: (Soundtrack(Soundtrack 4) 4) (Milton(Milton Babbitt’s Babbitt’s First First Piano Piano Concerto) Concerto) (the stretch(the stretch of Stravinsky’s of Stravinsky’s Rite of Rite Spring of Spring from from the openingthe opening bassoon bassoon solo to solo its tosemitone its semitone-depressed-depressed recollection) recollection)

You Youcould could call callit unfiltered it unfiltered megaSchoenbergmegaSchoenberg in jazztime in jazztime beginningbeginning with thewith very the first very singlenote first singlenote sound... sound... continuitycontinuity (not (not poptime poptime or or modernmusictime,modernmusictime, either) either) ...a keening...a keening primordial primordial whine, whine, a trembling a trembling hover, hover, suddenly suddenly sending sending but butwhat what I most I most love love about about seismicseismic chills chillsdown downits own its spine, own spine, sprouting sprouting eerie excrescenceseerie excrescences that that mergemerge with it,with twisting it, twisting it int oit a int ghoulisho a ghoulish glide throughglide through that that Milton’sMilton’s Concerto Concerto is its is its soundsoundandtimeandtimespace spaceenvironment environment that woodwinds that woodwinds simultaneously simultaneously create create grittedgritted integrity integrity being being and slitherand slither through, through, arrested arrested electrically electrically by stinging by stinging stringtrills stringtrills defiantdefiant unregenerate unregenerate militant militant traumaticallytraumatically freezing freezing action, action, woodwinds woodwinds as traumatically as traumatically unfreezing unfreezing it, splinteringit, splintering into myriad into myriad simultaneities simultaneities of tiny of frenzies tiny frenzies interweaving interweaving PositivistPositivist music, music, sternly sternly askance askance but blanklybut blankly oblivious oblivious of one of another, one another, the desolate the desolate whine whine now now anentanent the thesoftheaded softheaded stylewaffling stylewaffling reemergingreemerging in ever in so ever emptier so emptier a space, a space, oddly oddldiscolored,y discolored, dislocated dislocated of theof thegegenwärtliche gegenwärtliche jugend, jugend, now, itsnow, spasms its spasms now feeble now feeble in the in aftermath the aftermath of whatever of whatever it was it that was that happened.happened. . . . . a relentlesslya relentlessly uningratiatingly uningratiatingly polyfranticallypolyfrantically multilayered multilayered senseassertivesenseassertive discourse discourse here here beingbeing socially socially publically publically sonically sonically displayeddisplayed and andexposed exposed to be to sure be sure but butunmistakably unmistakably demanding demanding for adequatefor adequate reception reception ultimately ultimately thatthat it be it studied be studied minutely minutely and andintently intently in printform in printform uncompromisinglyuncompromisingly exhaustively exhaustively inexhaustiblyinexhaustibly

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22 22 Benjamin Boretz

Benjamin Boretz

(soundtrack 5) (a panpipes orchestra in the Chilean Andes) Benjamin Boretz I / OOO

We walk together from church to ritual

square, we breathe together as people

breathing together breathe. Time is the

natural sense of our flowing forward

together, naturally infolding as movement

and sense of movement together, unfolding as

the unitary shape and space of our timeless, —February/May 2001 dimensionless being, together.

Written first as a solo reading for a symposium on “Music and Politics” conceived and led by Judy Klein —may 1986/may 2002 at the March 2001 conference of SEAMUS (Society for ElectroAcoustic Music in the U.S.) in Baton Rouge [BAB] whose other participants were Jon Appleton and Anna Rubin; rewritten for two voices and performed with Karen Eisenbrey at a meeting of the Washington Composers’ Forum in Seattle, May 2001.

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25 BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz

BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz

(soundtrack(soundtrack 5 )5) (a(a panpipes panpipes orchestra orchestra in in the the Chilean Chilean Andes) Andes) BenjaminBenjamin Boretz Boretz I I/ /OOO OOO

WeWe walk walk together together from from church church to to ritual ritual square,square, we we breathe breathe together together as as people people breathingbreathing together together breathe. breathe. Time Time is is the the naturalnatural sense sense of of our our flowing flowing forward forward together,together, naturally naturally infolding infolding as as movement movement andand sense sense of of movement movement together, together, unfolding unfolding as as thethe unitary unitary shape shape and and space space of of our our timeless, timeless, —February/May —February/May 2001 2001 dimensionlessdimensionless being, being, together. together.

WrWrittenitten first first as asa soloa solo reading reading for for a symposiuma symposium on on “Music“Music and and Politics” Politics” conceived conceived and and led led by by Judy Judy Klein Klein —may—may 1986/may 1986/may 2002 2002 at atthe the March March 2001 2001 conference conference of ofSEAMUS SEAMUS (Society (Society forfor ElectroAcoustic ElectroAcoustic Music Music in inthe the U.S.) U.S.) in inBaton Baton Rouge Rouge [BAB][BAB] whosewhose other other participants participants were were Jon Jon Appleton Appleton and and Anna Anna Rubin;Rubin; rewritten rewritten for for two two voices voices and and performed performed with with KarenKaren Eisenbrey Eisenbrey at ata meetinga meeting of ofthe the Washington Washington Composers’Composers’ Forum Forum in inSeattle, Seattle, May May 2001. 2001.

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Speaker IISpeaker Speaker II

poetics . . . ? . . . politics?politics?. “A Year from Monday”? Lament for the Victims of Hiroshima?

modalities of expressive behavior ...... modalities of interpersonal behavior?

Ancient Voices of Children? Gesang der Jünglinge?

is there a difference? ...... is there a relation? Scratch Music? Maledetto? :politicizing the aesthetic . . . : . . . aestheticizing the political . . .

“Feminine Endings”? The People United Will Never Be Defeated?

. . . are they the same thing? are they even anything discriminable? . . . or meaningful? — about expression? ...... or perhaps only about :‘art’?

Tibetan monks dancing on San Giorgio in Venice? The Shaggs? Tabuh-Tabuhan? The Goleta Anarchist Music Ensemble? Bulgarian village women chorusing on Nonesuch CDs?

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or really perhaps only about discourse? (: in which the politicizing of the aesthetic . . . signifies the subsumption of the expressive text Speaker IISpeaker Speaker II within the discourse, as its instrument, its property?) poetics . . . ? . . . politics?politics?. Shostakovich? “A Year from Monday”? The Futurist Manifesto? Lament for the Victims of Hiroshima? “Twelve-Tone Rhythmic Structure and the Electronic Medium”? “On Musical Performance of Gender and Sex”? modalities of expressive behavior ...... modalities of interpersonal behavior? . . . or in which the aestheticizing of the political Ancient Voices of Children? signifies the adoption by the expressive text Gesang der Jünglinge? of the condition, the identity, of discourse? is there a difference? ...... is there a relation? 4’33”? Scratch Music? Apollon Musagètes? Maledetto? Ein Heldenleben? :politicizing the aesthetic . . . I am sitting in a room? : . . . aestheticizing the political . . . Pli selon pli? . . . ?) “Feminine Endings”? The People United Will Never Be Defeated? . . . at the edges, doesn’t . . . are they the same thing? politicizing sloganize politics into ideological weaponry; are they even anything into ideological weaponry; doesn’t aestheticizing dysfunctionalize politics discriminable? . . . or meaningful? doesn’t aestheticizing dysfunctionalize politics into iconic imagery, — about expression? . . . into iconic imagery, like a shot of stimulus energy . . . or perhaps only about :‘art’? like a shot of stimulus energy spiking a kicky entertainment . . . ? Tibetan monks dancing on San Giorgio in Venice? The Chairman Dances? The Shaggs? L’s G.A.? Tabuh-Tabuhan? LA? The Goleta Anarchist Music Ensemble? Bye Bye Butterfly? Bulgarian village women chorusing Ode to Napoleon? on Nonesuch CDs? Different Trains? For a Lasting Peace, for a People’s Democracy?

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still, don’t both music as poetics — in its corporealization as ‘art’ — and music as politics — in its mode of activity rather than theory — share an originary need, even an originary strategy directed toward that need? do they not arise within the same human predicament, as the usual diametrically opposing responses to a common dilemma? is not their common issue the vulnerability, the anguish, the fearful alienation of ontological isolation, the terrifying sense of helpless imprisonment within the vulnerable psychobody with no perceivable possibility of credible interpersonal connection to mediate the enveloping alienation of being, growing, metastasizing as being itself expands?

Das Lied von der Erde? Turangalila? Soundings? Momente? Smalltalk? GAP6? Fire Music? Europera?

the reflexive tack of ‘art’, the interiorizing creative tactic, is to reify solitude itself (to borrow an image of Maurice Blanchot), to create an interior world as palpable and inhabitable as the external one, to populate the loneness of being with fulness of substance and texture approximating to the visionary fantasy of unalienated being. as Maurice Blanchot says of the creative writer, where he is, only being is.

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28 Current Musicology Benjamin Boretz

still, don’t both music as poetics — in its corporealization as ‘art’ intimacy (a polemic)? — and music as politics — t-wmukl-d? in its mode of activity rather than theory Visage? — share an originary need, “On the way to becoming”? even an originary strategy Sauh? directed toward that need? Wang Wei at the Piano? do they not arise within Forgetting and Remembering? the same human predicament, Earthlight? as the usual diametrically opposing responses Steam? to a common dilemma? Philomel? is not their common issue the tack of ‘politics’, precisely inverse, the vulnerability, the anguish, is creative exteriorization, the fearful alienation reifies the exterior world as a multiplicative reproduction, of ontological isolation, a symbolic objectification, of the self, producing a tangible, the terrifying sense if self-induced, interpersonal support system. of helpless imprisonment appropriating representation appropriates authority, within the vulnerable psychobody ultimately appropriates the identity of the collective to the self. with no perceivable possibility the oracle effect, says Pierre Bourdieu, a ... form of performativity, of credible interpersonal connection ... enables the authorized spokesperson to take his authority from to mediate the enveloping alienation of being, the group ... I am an incarnation of the collective, and by virtue of growing, metastasizing as being itself expands? that fact, I am the one who manipulates the group in the very name of the group ... the violence that is part and parcel of the oracle Das Lied von der Erde? effect can never be felt more strongly than in assembly situations Turangalila? [ — Elias Canetti would single out the symphony concert — ] Soundings? in which ... the professional spokespersons who are authorized Momente? can speak in the name of the entire group assembled ... Smalltalk? GAP6? “Against Plausibility”? Fire Music? “Schoenberg is Dead”? Europera? “Boola Boola”? “The Agony of Modern Music”? the reflexive tack of ‘art’, the interiorizing creative tactic, “Der freie Satz”? is to reify solitude itself (to borrow an image of Maurice Blanchot), “Caliban Reborn”? to create an interior world as palpable and inhabitable “Queering the Pitch”? as the external one, to populate the loneness of being with Fluxus? fulness of substance and texture approximating to the Soviet Iron Foundry? visionary fantasy of unalienated being. Lament for Sarah? as Maurice Blanchot says of the creative writer, but: consider: who — what real person — am I talking about? where he is, only being is. who is the pure expressor, who is the pure politicizer? what there is is, in fact, only all of us

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28 29 Current Musicology

— with different colorations and intensities, all of us both expressors and demagogues; self-explorers and self-asserters inextricably. and so it is us, the creative musicians, who can be observed, in varying modalities of coloration and intensity, to politicize our own poetics, if only by betraying its non-negotiably non-verbal being by circumscribing it with articulate discourse — pre-empting the unmediated, unguaranteeable, uncontrollable intercourse between the created expressive phenomenon and its recomposing receiver to reframe the interface so as to include us, personified, corporealized, as ourselves — just at the site where we had, precisely, managed to nullify just that oppression, the oppression of being too much with our selves to be within ourselves, so as to have a world to be in. and it is us, ourselves, the creative musicians, who aestheticize the politic, who ferociously reach out to engage strangers with our performances, who appropriate to our anonymous anomalous expressive phenomena the rubrics of their anxious concerns, including at the desperate extreme the reductive abstractions which catalyze, symbolize in the public space the primal issues, their — and our — simultaneous needs for and terrors of significance made bearable in the simulacrum of togetherness enabled by the imagery of public outrages, causes, occasions for war, the whole media-cultural array of “issues” and “phenomena” which we all addicted to the mass-hysterical euphoria-schadenfreude credit as real, and their analyses or descriptions as rational — we, needing strenuously to engage strangers, appropriate to the expressive work the exogenous energy latent in these symbolic political things even if they inflate the scale of our own expression so as to obliterate those poignancies uniquely articulate within the expressive language itself which we have so seriously struggled to bring into being.

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and so we become strangers too. — with different colorations and intensities, in the expressive space we have created. all of us both expressors and demagogues; Futility? self-explorers and self-asserters inextricably. Klinghoffer? and so it is us, the creative musicians, For the Uncommon Woman? who can be observed, in varying modalities Intolleranza? of coloration and intensity, A War Requiem? to politicize our own poetics, Kiva? if only by betraying its non-negotiably non-verbal being Golem? by circumscribing it with articulate discourse yet it cannot be questioned that in every musically Form for piano? — pre-empting the unmediated, unguaranteeable, uncontrollable intercourse expressive act there is also an innate, indigenous politics Time’s Encomium? between the created expressive phenomenon — but a politics which by its nature as music is not Rothko Chapel? and its recomposing receiver susceptible to being restated with discourse, and Unit Structures? to reframe the interface so as to include us, whose messages are therefore subverted Big Road Blues? personified, corporealized, as ourselves by the gratuitous public-verbal politics Vingt régards sur l’enfant Jésus? — just at the site where we had, precisely, managed to which they are assimilated. Echoi? to nullify just that oppression, the oppression I said already that our complicity in Om? of being too much with our selves to be within ourselves, undermining ourselves is an outcome Evocations? so as to have a world to be in. of a particular complexity of expressive artists, Twisted Tutu? and it is us, ourselves, the creative musicians, of creative musicians: that we could not survive Custer’s Ghost? who aestheticize the politic, permanently affixed to the interior worlds we create. Blue in Green? who ferociously reach out to engage strangers with our performances, the very socialization of our sound, its capacity to be Available Forms? who appropriate to our anonymous anomalous expressive phenomena meaningful to others, The Purposes and Politics the rubrics of their anxious concerns, is a painful reconfrontation of Engaging Strangers? including at the desperate extreme with the essential alienation White Writing? the reductive abstractions which catalyze, and isolation “Compose Yourself”? symbolize in the public space the primal issues, the expressive act is needed to ameliorate. The Cave? their — and our — simultaneous needs for and terrors of so the musician-artist rages to join her own lost world, Sticks/Stones? significance made bearable in the simulacrum of togetherness the very one that she by releasing her work Sonic Meditations? enabled by the imagery of public outrages, causes, occasions for war, has created for them, rages not only to be able Koyaanisqatsi? the whole media-cultural array of “issues” and “phenomena” to inhabit it with them like them, Rainforest? which we all addicted to the mass-hysterical euphoria-schadenfreude but to inhabit it in her own name, Musica Elettronica Viva? credit as real, and their analyses or descriptions as rational on her own account, not “Rules of One’s Own”? — we, needing strenuously to engage strangers, — not like them — The Roachville Project? appropriate to the expressive work as an anonymity “Meta + Hodos”? the exogenous energy latent in these symbolic political things in the public audience space. “Speaking and Singing”? even if they inflate the scale of our own expression for her, anonymity “Noise”? so as to obliterate those poignancies uniquely articulate is a cruel dissonant pun “The Beauty of Irrelevant Music”? within the expressive language itself on the originary expressive Urban Bushmen? which we have so seriously struggled erasure of identity. Once? to bring into being. isolation recycled, Mutatis Mutandis?

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by the very means Key? of its remedy. Private Parts? On Being Invisible? ...the serpent-snapping eye? Apo Do? this treachery we practice upon our own expression cannot be evaded; it is equally essential to our survival as the expression it betrays; the betrayal, the alienation of expression, intrinsic to discourse and structure and exteriorization are the symptoms of the recognition that the interpersonal space may be real, or rather that the interpersonal space is real in its own specific way. Ideas of Order? Prometeo? in that perspective, that political perspective, the molten mysticism of pure expression unmediated, released into the social space undelimited by these socializing dampers, is as likely to catalyze violence as to exorcise it. Mobile for Shakespeare? Mudgett? our appropriation to our persons of the power of our expression may be deceitful and subversive, but the release of that expressive power in an undefined interpersonal space untethered by names and faces and sets of social manners threatens the release of energies far more ominous: music has a thirst for destruction, say Deleuze and Guattari; every kind of destruction, extinction, breakage, dislocation. is that not its potential “fascism”? from the seven days?

if music is ontologized in this atavistic way as pure expression, pure mysticism, as molten volcanic energy, then its release unmediated into the social space is a direct route to violence and chaos, as surely as political energy running unconstrained into the personal and interpersonal spaces is a direct route to absolute tyranny. explosante-fixe?

and just as discourse and structure alienate and mediate pure expression, thereby making it survivable in the social space, so do liberated

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by the very means Key? expression, empathy, self-awareness, reflection mediate, constrain, of its remedy. Private Parts? loosen the politically constructed power-assertive spaces. On Being Invisible? ...the serpent-snapping eye? “it’s all yours”? Apo Do? this treachery we practice upon our own expression cannot be evaded; it is make possible that uneasy self-contradictory fragile network within equally essential to our survival as the expression it betrays; the betrayal, the which we, along with all our fellow-strangers, can realistically sustain alienation of expression, intrinsic to discourse and structure and exteriorization a life pursuing significant expression, and without which, in some are the symptoms of the recognition that the interpersonal space may be real, idealized world of extreme programmed politics or unleashed inchoate or rather that the interpersonal space is real in its own specific way. poetics, we could not. Ideas of Order? Prometeo? Symphony of a Thousand? in that perspective, that political perspective, the molten mysticism ONE? of pure expression unmediated, released into the social space undelimited by these socializing dampers, is as likely to catalyze violence as to exorcise it. Mobile for Shakespeare? Mudgett? our appropriation to our persons of the power of our expression may be deceitful and subversive, but the release of that expressive power in an undefined interpersonal space untethered by names and faces and sets of social manners threatens the release of energies far more ominous: music has a thirst for destruction, say Deleuze and Guattari; every kind of destruction, extinction, breakage, dislocation. is that not its potential “fascism”? from the seven days? if music is ontologized in this atavistic way as pure expression, pure mysticism, as molten volcanic energy, then its release unmediated into the social space is a direct route to violence and chaos, as surely as political energy running unconstrained into the personal and interpersonal spaces is a direct route to absolute tyranny. explosante-fixe? and just as discourse and structure alienate and mediate pure expression, thereby making it survivable in the social space, so do liberated

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(one more little review)

Shouldn’t We Talk? (jkr)

The subjects are obvious.

(Just listen.)

Lots of opinions too.

(You may not agree.)

(Don’t have to.)

It’s pure temporality,

in 4 mvts..

(But not any temporal evolution ever anywhere anytime.)

(The indensity takes a big lot of getting used to.)

(If you listen.)

(So listen.)

-- B.A.B. Feb. 2003

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Vignettes of Old Masters VI: Lukas Foss (1922-2010)

lukas

A gratification of listening to Lukas’s music - any of Lukas’s music - is that you are never far from music wherever his music takes you music is behind the wall down the corner below the horizon across the universe under the eaves at the end of the (one more(one littlemore review) little review) tunnel at the tip of your ear you can taste it just yonder just beyond experience just rolls off your fingertips beams just over the moon is right beside you just barely untouching your semblable knows what you like likes you - maybe more - dances Shouldn’tShouldn’t We Talk? We Talk? ingeniously just behind your ear that almost licks almost mahlers you out with (jkr) (jkr) brahms by gould smoothing ruffled lennys edges rounding igors corners not il mi- glior fabbro but the grooviest musicperfect pianoplayer you ever heard bach or four The subjectsThe subjects are obvious. are obvious. temperaments always the music a more than ample payback for the long indenture or safeconduct cover for the smiling inyourface pushoff fathermaster teachermaster (Just listen.)(Just listen.) symbolic hindemithicide pantomusikanting out to enact to exorcise to performatize to spielify all the crushing load of master-student composer-performer lennylukas Lots ofLots opinions of opinions too. too. previnlukas glennlukas igorlukas aaronlukas johncagelukas germanamericanlukas all (You may(You not may agree.) not agree.) the never biodegrading relationships by rigorously nonjazzing the rules but instead declassicizing them to escape at last but still there have to be rules even if like coun- (Don’t(Don’t have to.) have to.) tercrafts of non not anti never anti composition the un not ever anti hindemithaar- onreinervengerova not breaking not flouting but remaking always tethered to music It’s pure It’s temporality, pure temporality, always the careful chords the tasty lukaslicks the classic infallible dufallo clarinet in 4 mvts.. in 4 mvts.. riffs the dignified but decorously avantgarde delancey bass around the straightish bluecollar colf cello they groped their way away almost went for broke they were (But not(But any not temporal any temporal evolution evolution ever anywhere ever anywhere anytime.) anytime.) never far from music but ever further away along the rules they made as they went we were never in it together but close enough to relate.

Close to music, Lukas’s music Performs, Stages, Enacts, Personifies, Affects. To do it right you get prepackaged bigstars: You get Jennie Tourel. You get Adele (The indensity(The indensity takes atakes big lota big of gettinglot of getting used to.)used to.) Addison. You get Lenny Bernstein. You get Andre Previn. You get the Improvisa- tion Chamber Ensemble.And you stage them brillliantly, just so, just for them in (If you(If listen.) you listen.) particular; they will never have it better: Phorion: lenny down the chute as mad (So listen.)(So listen.) bachcrazed maniac (no place here for the self-congratulating hero-knight of the Shapero Symphony or the devouring ogre of Brahms by Gould). Time Cycle: Adele a jumping bean on a tightrope, a warbling acrobat bird, groovy earthmother. Song of Songs: Jennie as Daniel Deronda’s Mirah, Malke the Wise, the exalted Bride of Judea. Echoi: Lukas & Co. in a fractal lukaslick tsunamifest. You compose avant-lenny; avant-jennie; avant-adele; avant-andre; avant-lukas. Invent scintillat- -- B.A.B.-- Feb.B.A.B. 2003 Feb. 2003 ing, titillating, coruscating, startling, channeling the future, imaging the beyond, the easily familiar terra incognita we can all know, in a glossolalic newspeak that we all understand. Soundmusic monstrances richly repaying every moment of experience - 21 - - 21 - you lend to them; and it always sounds fantastic. Like nothing else floating through the modern musical world, like a wraith of future past, like a vision of things that were to come, but never did. 377

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