Don't Scalpel the Mona Lisa!

In a recent Book Review of the New York Times (December 2, 2006), William F. Buckley reviews Martin Geck's new biography of Johann Sebastian Bach. Of Geck, Buckley writes:

He tells us, on the subject of the complexity of one of Bach's chorales, such details as that ''the canon voices of the cantus firmus are divided over two separate keyboards'' and ''are not acoustically separated from the other parts.'' Thus, ''the fabric of constantly intersecting voices is nonetheless barely comprehensible because Bach has overlaid the contrapuntal layer with its traditional opposite. The two voices 'accompanying' the cantus firmus canon are expressive solos taken from the slow movements of his sonatas and concerti and tricked out with modern mannerisms and gallant rhythmic changes.'' This is the scalpel applied to the Mona Lisa, which brings to mind a recent news story on the scientists who are studying that masterpiece with invisible infrared light, perhaps hoping to establish what the subject ate on the day Leonardo painted her eyes.

What a great metaphor! It's hard enough to create beauty; don't go after it with a carving knife.

Write something joyful!

The other night I was at a composer's forum where the guest of honor was 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Moravec. We were all having a great exchange, and the subject of fast and slow music came up. I pointed out that whenever I go to a concert of new music, it's a little unusual to hear "fast" music. We discussed why this is. My theory is that composers all feel they must probe the depths of their being, examining the dark tea-time of their souls, and aim only for profundity. After all, we want to be taken seriously, don't we?

What composers today forget is that there is more to human existence than just this! From time to time, hopefully we feel lightness, happiness, and joy. Mozart, Beethoven, Bartok, The Beatles: they all wrote both happy and sad music, among many other emotions.

Paul Moravec captured this thought perfectly. He asked, "What music written since World War II is joyous? Where is our contemporary "Ode to Joy?"

Art is supposed to reflect the human condition. Without a doubt, the human condition in the 20th Century has been rather pitiful. But let's not forget: Art also elevates and illuminates. Don't forget all the possibilities you can compose.