Read two really great bits on Pitchfork recently, both from interviews with great musicians: Steve Reich, and Tom Waits.
From the Steve Reich interview:
All good music theory is basically referring to music that was written before the theory was written. You can apply that to the rules of four-part harmony, which is basically taken from Bach’s chorales, and codifies them. But if it’s a prescription for what you ought to do in the future, then you’re writing a manifesto, and I think manifestos are inherently for stupid people who can’t fly by the seat of their pants, live their lives, and change as change is called upon.
I love this quote. What he’s saying ties directly in with things I have been contemplating for a couple weeks lately in relation to my own work. Work which I haven’t been doing for some time. ;-) I generally easily get hung-up on structure and why something ‘won’t work’. As such, I paint myself into corners: I exempt myself from doing anything because it could be naive or uninformed; and also by focusing on why things aren’t working instead of simply doing some work. Both of which of course mean that I end up not doing anything. The very antithesis of wanting to do stuff. :-P
It seems to be a bit early for my MA, but this is one of the big issues I want to reflect on in my work and things I am going to goof around with in the coming weeks, I hope. I’ll post some of my tactics about this in the coming weeks.
And also from the Steve Reich interview:
I don’t care how much people understand what it is that I’m doing, except if they’re players in my ensemble or other ensembles [Laughs]. I just want people to be moved by the music. If you’re not moved by the music, then everything else falls away.
I love this. It’s true. I get hung up on making work that other artists or professionals can appreciate for it’s workings, instead of seeking to make work that anyone can appreciate no matter what they know about music, or performance, or art, or whatever. The audience and my own satisfaction are more important than some snooty jazz-knob technique-wanger who can tell how badly I’m playing! ;-)
From the Tom Waits interview:
Pitchfork: Do you have a favorite sound?
Tom Waits: Bacon. In a frying pan. If you record the sound of bacon in a frying pan and play it back it sounds like the pops and cracks on an old 33 1/3 recording. Almost exactly like that. You could substitute it for that sound.
That’s just pure Tom Waits. That he’s been able to make the quality and variety of music he has, and indeed defined areas of sound and songwriting, is unbelievable. And he’s a regular guy to boot, from all I know. The artistic collaboration he has with his wife is also something I would love to have with a partner.
That’s about it for now. Wanted to make sure and get those ideas down on the blog. And for those of you wondering about how I am feeling about my MA lately, I have come to terms with how I can deal with things such as they are and will be steam-rolling ahead to get my degree. It should be interesting, even amidst the strange circumstances and challenges presented. ;-) More later.
