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From: jeffw@tekecs.UUCP (Jeff Winslow)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: John Cage (listening to the unfamiliar)
Message-ID: <3772@tekecs.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 12-May-84 22:57:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekecs.3772
Posted: Sat May 12 22:57:50 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 21-May-84 04:45:11 EDT
Organization: Tektronix, Wilsonville OR
Lines: 30

> I remember once listening to a programme of Schoenberg's music on
> the CBC radio (they played PERRIOT LUNAIRE, which comes close to
> being my all time least favourite piece, especially the section DER
> KRANKER MOND, which always makes me feel nauseous), and the person 
> introducing the pieces said that "Schoenberg has always had a high
> regard among the musical cognoscenti, but has never achieved any
> sort of popular following;" with an unspoken, but obvious, "and I've
> always wondered why."  Well, I could have told him exactly why. 
> During one piece (I forget which one) of serial music, I suddenly
> had a flash of "He must have made a mistake, I could almost detect
> a tune there for a few moments."

You don't give yourself enough credit. When you thought you detected a
"tune" for a few moments, you were beginning to understand what was 
going on. You should go back and expand your understanding from
that point.

I have always started understanding unfamiliar music from a few points
of appreciation. Then a few more would appear, and more, until the whole
thing started to make intuitive sense. In fact, the main reason I dislike
popular music is that I feel like I understand a whole song (musically)
almost before it's finished. Boring, huh?

> Well, I will break off now, and go and listen to Pachibel's D MINOR
> CANON ... to soothe myself.

Well, I think I'll go have some cardboard for dinner... :-) !!!!!!!!!

					the truly repentant,
						Jeff Winslow