BABBITT: Quatrains Manifold Music My Ends are My Beginnings Soli e Duettini Swan Song No. 1 Tony Arnold, soprano; Charles Neidich, Ayako Oshima, clarinets; Gregory D'Agostino, organ; Alan Blustine, clarinet and bass clarinet; William Anderson, Oren Fader, guitars; Cygnus Ensemble/Jeffrey Milarsky Most people know Milton Babbitt (and hate his music besides) because of an article they haven't read, titled "Who Cares If You Listen?" Never mind the fact that Babbitt didn't give it that title (the editor of the pop magazine High Fidelity in which the article appeared thought Babbitt's original title something like "The Composer as Specialist" lacked punch) and that most people who froth at the mention of Babbitt's name have most likely heard nothing he's composed. The article itself is surprisingly mild (you can read an on-line copy at http://www.palestrant.com/babbitt.html). Zeitgeist or an historical dialectic. | |
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