Thread: Your music taste in 15 years

Just a curious question, won't be a poll. Do you think your taste will be different 15-20 years from now? More "conservative" that is, tending to like Baroque or Classical? More "liberal" that is, tending to like 20th Cent. and Contemporary? Or, simply more open to all eras in general?

My prediction for myself: I may turn into an avid Stravinsky/Bartok/R.Strauss/Mahler fan (all people I dislike in the present) in the next 10 years, then turn to Serialism, and then have a reactionary period where I will listen to Baroque/Classical eras (more likely to happen 40-50 years from now, if Lord-willing I live that long).

I'll see if it actually happens.

This is an excellent question, because in the past 15 years my tastes have wandered. For awhile Chopin was my main man, then Mozart, then Brahms. I've been thinking I was getting into a Beethoven or a French romanticism phase, but now it looks like I'm just in a general baroque phase. (Meanwhile of course I listened to a little bit of everything else too.) In the last 3 years or so, jazz has been changing my life.

All of that is meant to illustrate that I really can't guess what I'll be loving in 5, 10 or 15 years. I hope I have those years, though!

Currently im Liberalising - recently getting into Boulez, Nono, Ligeti etc... I definitely think I will one day have a reactionary phase going back to simpler early romantic - baroque. But in the long run ill probably maintain my love for the early 20th century romantics while keeping an open mind for all the other stuff.

Why dont you like Stravinsky?

Originally Posted by emiellucifuge

Why dont you like Stravinsky?

He was EVIL! He called Prokofiev an idiot, and he insulted Glazunov as many times as he could get the chance!! Nor do I like much of his philosophy on music.

But besides that, I'm starting to get use to his music. I've liked the Firebird for a long time, that's definitely Russian. What's often missing is that classic "Russian" style which I love most, even Prokofiev held true to this factor. But Stravinsky became more like a French Impressionist, so if I ever were to start liking him, I would admire him for that reason, and not as a Russian composer.

Okay but in some ways hes more russian than Prokofiev due to his use of Russian folk melodies (ala Le Sacre), which I dont believe Prokofiev used?

Originally Posted by emiellucifuge

Okay but in some ways hes more russian than Prokofiev due to his use of Russian folk melodies (ala Le Sacre), which I dont believe Prokofiev used?

Using existing folk tunes is not determinant of being national composer. It's ability of writing original ones that reflect folk music and more metaphysical aspects of national tradition.

I think I'll probably be a fanatical Wagnerian.

At present I enjoy the canon. I.e. Bach, Mozart/Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms/Wagner, Schoenberg & Co., Ligeti and other significant contemporary figures.

I predict I will grow to like early music (Renaissance/Baroque) although I don't much like it now. I hope I also develop a better understanding and appreciation of Jazz. I've started off with Miles Davis and love his work so I think I'll go from there if anyone wants to point me in the right direction.

Originally Posted by emiellucifuge

Okay but in some ways hes more russian than Prokofiev due to his use of Russian folk melodies (ala Le Sacre), which I dont believe Prokofiev used?

Mmm...

Well, use of Folk melodies is one thing. But... Orchestration, texture, atmosphere, that's what I mean by Russian.

True, Prokofiev was very very Unrussian sometimes, but he quit being like that after a few years.

Why?

The folk music of a nation takes its characteristics from its rhythmic or harmonic qualities. Whether you directly use them or imitate them shouldnt detract from the distinctly russian (in this case) sound.

Originally Posted by emiellucifuge

Why?

The folk music of a nation takes its characteristics from its rhythmic or harmonic qualities. Whether you directly use them or imitate them shouldnt detract from the distinctly russian (in this case) sound.

The greatest achievements of national styles belong to those works and composers which were creative enough to process folk music and incorporate it's essence into their music. Quotations from folklore and much easier and if you will look deeper into history of the subject, you will see that there are plenty of forgotten composers who thought that developing national style equals writing fugues and variations on melodies taken straight from folklore. Those who still are remembered did a lot more than that. I recommend you to read writings by Szymanowski that are devoted to this subject. They reveal greater truth of national music (as a whole) and refute shallow stereotyphes and views on this matter.

I don't want to decide if Stravisnky is more Russian than Prokofiev or contrary. I'm just saying that IF he is more Russian, it's not because he quotes folk tunes, it means very little.

Maybe I will. He doesnt quote folk tunes anyway, just uses the modes.

Originally Posted by emiellucifuge

Maybe I will. He doesnt quote folk tunes anyway, just uses the modes.

I think bassoon melody opening Rite of Spring is quotation.

I'm sorta reactionalizing right now, getting deeper still into Sibelius and Bruckner, and introducing Webern into my listening. Rather large step from Norgard/Boulez.

In 15 years I figure I'll either be in a strong reactionary phase or a strong liberal phase. Or I could actually find a composer and style I can consistently like and "stay with" as it were. Judging by my current reading habits (Nietzsche and Foucault) I'll have read a ton of all sorts of philosophical stuff by then and will be sufficiently disillusioned with everything to just stick to Boulez and Webern, that sort of stuff.

Being still quite young, I still have a lot of exploring to do, and am not sure where 15 years will take me (but I know Brahms will always be my No. 1 ).

In the past year, I've developed a greater interest in some 20th century composers, so I see that continuing into greater appreciation, however, I very much doubt I'll ever enjoyably listen to serialism, partly on principle!

I'm already a fan of medieval and renaissance music, but I am yet to have a proper Baroque-liking phase, so maybe that'll happen before I'm 40...