Re: what a loop has to say

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

>> I read this as "can someone who hasn't actually got all that much  
>> to say
>> with his music, disguise this fact with a blinding array of technical
>> virtuosity?" & I think we've probably all seen examples of this  
>> from time to
>> time.


Why should a musician disguise that he "hasn't much to say with his  
music"? Myself I enjoy a lot of music that only exists for the  
purpose of "not saying much". Like for example all these piano bar  
players that sit down behind the piano at fashionable cafés to  
provide a background atmosphere. And what about Satie, Eno and John  
Cage? Well, those guys may not be virtuosos, but many piano bar  
musicians in fact are! The thrill is to hear them twist the tempi of  
well known "schlagers" with excessive ritardandi and virtuoso  
arpeggio ornamentation. That really doesn't say much - but it sounds  
cool while you are having coffee and bisques.

What sometimes makes me feel bad is the culture that makes us expect  
certain things from artists. And even worse; when some artists  
internalize these expectation and kind of starts to pretend as if  
they are doing something different than they are. That's just sad.

I must also say that I enjoyed Stefan Tiedjes post a lot and agree to  
everything he said there on this topic.

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.boysen.se (Swedish)
www.looproom.com (international)
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast? 
id=128679560&s=143456