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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/arts/mus...ckhausen-1.html

I am simply dumbstruck that I missed this due to various activity last week. This was one of the great composers of the 20th century, and while not as 'lovable' perhaps as the recent great performer deaths in classical music--Rostropovich, Sills, Pavarotti--was more important in the musical-adventurer domain. Boulez, who became extremely jealous of him during his ascent into great fame, nevertheless always spoke of him as having been greatly influential on him (although Boulez is a few years older). I've liked some of the piano music, the 'Klavierstucke--I-IV, and orchestral music a great deal, and remember a rehearsal of 'Jubilee' at the New York Philharmonic in about 1981, which was marvelous. He was eccentric, and made that over-the-top comment about the 'great work of art' that 9/11 was, but if he hadn't, someone else would. It was at least less stupid, because he would have meant it, than Jonathan Franzen's pronouncements about the 'terrible beauty'.

I don't see this elsewhere here on the board, but if it is, it can be conjoined. I found about his death from, of all places, the LA Times entertainment calendar.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/08/arts/mus...ckhausen-1.html

I am simply dumbstruck that I missed this due to various activity last week. This was one of the great composers of the 20th century, and while not as 'lovable' perhaps as the recent great performer deaths in classical music--Rostropovich, Sills, Pavarotti--was more important in the musical-adventurer domain. Boulez, who became extremely jealous of him during his ascent into great fame, nevertheless always spoke of him as having been greatly influential on him (although Boulez is a few years older). I've liked some of the piano music, the 'Klavierstucke--I-IV, and orchestral music a great deal, and remember a rehearsal of 'Jubilee' at the New York Philharmonic in about 1981, which was marvelous. He was eccentric, and made that over-the-top comment about the 'great work of art' that 9/11 was, but if he hadn't, someone else would. It was at least less stupid, because he would have meant it, than Jonathan Franzen's pronouncements about the 'terrible beauty'.

I don't see this elsewhere here on the board, but if it is, it can be conjoined. I found about his death from, of all places, the LA Times entertainment calendar.

Thanks, papeetepatrick. I saw this in the Times but did not get around to posting, my board time being dominated by Nutcracker links during this season. I thought 'Gruppen' was awe inspiring when I first heard it as a teenager and I still admire it.

The whole 9/11 thing will go away eventually.

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Stockhausen had an enormous influence on 70s-era Miles Davis who, lo these many years later, influences all sorts of people (whether they know it or not.)

Very interesting, milosr. In larger doses, I prefer 50's and 60's Miles, but just who are you thinking of?

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I'm thinking of the Miles Davis record On the Corner (1972). This was the record where Davis really put the screws on in terms of blending a lot of stylistic elements that, at first glance, look like they don't belong together -- jazz playing, Stockhausen, Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, etc. Critics of the time villified Davis for this record; accusing him of "selling out". But he (and the record) proved to be a major precedent setter because the principles he set down continue to influence hip hop/dance/mash-up music to this day.

(Davis actually had a great rejoinder to a critic who told him he couldn't follow what Davis was doing with his early-70s jazz/rock/funk phase. Davis said, "What am I supposed to do? Wait around until you catch up??")

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Thanks, milosr. Somehow I thought you were referring to contemporary orchestral composers.

"What am I supposed to do? Wait around until you catch up??"

:dunno: After his late 70's hiatus, he arguably never caught back up with himself.

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I'm thinking of the Miles Davis record On the Corner (1972). This was the record where Davis really put the screws on in terms of blending a lot of stylistic elements that, at first glance, look like they don't belong together -- jazz playing, Stockhausen, Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, etc. Critics of the time villified Davis for this record; accusing him of "selling out". But he (and the record) proved to be a major precedent setter because the principles he set down continue to influence hip hop/dance/mash-up music to this day.

(Davis actually had a great rejoinder to a critic who told him he couldn't follow what Davis was doing with his early-70s jazz/rock/funk phase. Davis said, "What am I supposed to do? Wait around until you catch up??")

Interesting view of On the Corner, miliosr. I couldn’t get that interested in a Miles Davis album with hardly any trumpet on it, though. (I did like Live-Evil, which came a year before On the Corner.)

Critics of the time villified Davis for this record; accusing him of "selling out".

I agree that the critical reception was by and large uncomprehending, but what I didn’t like about a lot of Davis’ faux-funk was that it was just that, faux; why listen to imitation Sly Stone with the real thing readily available?

(Davis actually had a great rejoinder to a critic who told him he couldn't follow what Davis was doing with his early-70s jazz/rock/funk phase. Davis said, "What am I supposed to do? Wait around until you catch up??")

:clapping:

Stockhausen had an enormous influence on 70s-era Miles Davis who, lo these many years later, influences all sorts of people (whether they know it or not.)

The same could be said of Stockhausen, as well.

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