Houston Symphony's 'Riots and Scandals' fest looks at radical roots of composers beloved...
A: Yes, yes. I think we can consider artistic work and its meaning on a period, where a particular thing is happening. And that means a Beethoven Sonata might not be as interesting today. But in the time, those were revolutionary, his way of writing. “Rite of Spring” is mainstream these days. But imagine at the time how they might be received in Paris, especially at the opening for the premiere. Imagine the bourgeoisie listening to this piece at the time.
Q: I recognize how it’s different from what preceded it. And recognize how it’s radical. But to my ears today, it doesn’t strike me as so radical as to send people to the exits. A: They did rehearsals. It was supposed to be played. So “Riots and Scandals” . . . it’s interesting to see how these pieces speak to us now. Can they still provoke some kind of scandal or outrage? For classically-trained musicians, “Rite of Spring” is something they all know. There aren’t any more surprises.
Q: We hear too much about this or that music being dead or no longer relevant. But the concept alone feels contemporary. Yesterday’s scandals are often not so bad a few years later. A: Maybe somebody sees a scandal and they think it’s a scandal until they find something more scandalous. You never know what will be scandalous. You never know if it will stay scandalous for us. You have to experience to know why it was that way at the time. And you can’t see it before it happens.
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