3/22/2024 0 Comments Emancipating the ConsonanceClassical Music (well, the beautiful, inspired, melodic kind), has been effectively dead since the death of Korngold in 1957 and Rachmaninov in 1943. All of this was caused by Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg's so-called "emancipation of the dissonance" in the early years of the 20th century. Putting aside the obvious - that "dissonance" cannot be "emancipated" at all, because it is what it is, "dissonance", the utter chaos and horror that followed in the wake of this so-called "development", especially in the West after World War 2, caused damage to Classical Music that was and remains incalculable. Classical Music had been a great force for good and beauty in the 19th century. Beethoven's statement that "our art demands of us that we not stand still" was taken very seriously by great composers from Schumann (1810-56), Brahms (1833-97), Mahler (1860-1911) and Richard Strauss (1864-1949) all the way to Sibelius (1865-1957), Rachmaninov (1873-1943) and Korngold (1897-1957). But after World War 2, and the money put into the artistic "reconstruction" of Germany by the allies, the "emancipation of the dissonance", banned by the Totalitarian Regimes of Nazi Germany and Soviet Stalinist State was seen as the banner of freedom and swept through academia and latterly broadcasting in the West until composers who wrote tunes were forced to give up all idea of serious concert music and write instead for films and TV. Classical Music went underground after World War 2. It survived in the film scores of Korngold, then latterly the opulent and Romantic film scores of Bernard Hermann (1911-76) and more recently John Williams (b.1932). "Star Wars", "Harry Potter" and "Star Trek" carry the Romance of the 19th century concert hall into the 21st century. But we need more. Classical Music needs to be back in the Concert Hall. Thankfully, the efforts of the latter-day Johann Strauss II, Andre Rieu, are bringing joy back to Classical Music again. But more than this, a young English composer and genius in the mould of Korngold and Strauss, connected as she surely is directly to the higher dimensions of Spirit, Alma Deutscher, (b.2005), is refusing to bow to the demands of the establishment for ugly music. Instead, she has turned the last 100 years of Classical Music "progress" on its head...and "emancipated the consonance", bringing beauty right back where it belongs, into our ears and healing our hearts. Watch these videos on Alma, and do check out her website, www.almadeutscher.com The clear spiritual connection of young Alma Deutscher is obvious here. Unsaid. But obvious. Alma Deutscher's "Siren Sounds" Waltz. A young spiritual genius takes the ugliness of modern life and transforms it into a beautiful dance...
0 Comments
|
Steven GreerHello there! Great to see you. I'm passionate about the beauty of Diatonic Classical Music of all eras up to the mid-20th century, when things went a little odd. I want to share with you the beautiful music I've found over the years, particularly the music that you may not have ever seen in the concert hall, but is out there, just waiting to be discovered and loved. Just keep an eye on this Blog and also the Media Page, where I will be sharing performances of some of the Classical Music and Ballets that saved my life, and may just save yours too. Contact me if you want me to do a talk or a workshop. I'd be glad to help. It's good to know you! ArchivesCategoriesCopyright Steven Greer 2024. All rights reserved.
|