In a message dated 12/10/01 6:02:45 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>Mike said
>
>>>Many people would name [Beethoven] as an important composer or as their
>favourite composer without knowing much more than the opening motif (is
>it sacrilegious to say 'riff' here?) of the 5th symphony, or 'Nessun Dorma'<<
>
>
>Fred replied
>
>>>Or even without knowing that "Nessun Dorma" was composed by Puccini!
>(insert your favorite emoticon here)<<
>
>
>Mike now says
>
>Yes, Puccini composed Nessun Dorma, not Beethoven. While writing the mail
>I couldn't recall the composer (Verdi? Puccini?) so I included the name
>of the singer of the most 'popular' version, i.e Pavarroti, not meaning
>to suggest that it was a Beethoven piece. Sorry if I gave this impression.
I was just funnin' yah, Mike. I knew you knew, but was just poking fun at the
sentence structure ("Many people would name [Beethoven] ... as their
favourite composer without knowing much more than ... 'Nessun Dorma'). Sorry,
my bad.
>Fred said
>
>>>However, I think he does have soul, his own version of it at least
(everyone
>does), and I think he's sincere. This goes a long way to explain his
popularity.<<
>
>
>Mike now says
>
>Here we differ. If he has soul, it is different to what I understand it
>to mean. I do not doubt his sincerity.
What I meant was, everyone has soul, but their soul may not have something
meaningful to express in an artistic way to the more intelligent,
sophisticated listener.
>Mike said
>
>>>I love Miles Davis and happily accept that there are other, better players
>than Miles but he does it for me.<<
>
>
>Fred said
>
>>>There *aren't* better players than Miles ... there are those who may
>play faster or higher, but no one, on *any* instrument, plays *music* better
>than Miles. Of course, many musicians play music equally as well as Miles,
>but none better.<<
>
>
>Mike now says
>
>My remarks about being a non-musician apply here too. I have heard many
>people say that Miles is an all-time great as an innovator, bandleader,
>and trumpeter etcetera but did not possess the best technique (that word
>again).
He had all the technique he needed to say what he had to say, and that's all
the technique anyone ever needs.
>I am happy to accept this but for me Miles usually hits all the
>right notes. Whatever people say against him doesn't affect how I feel
>about Miles. Could you clarify one thing Fred, please? When you say "no
>one, on *any* instrument, plays *music* better than Miles" do you say this
>because Miles was the greatest musician or because comparisons are unhelpful,
>invalid, or just plain stupid?
What I really said was in the next sentence after that: "Of course, many
musicians play music equally as well as Miles, but none better." What I mean
is not that Miles was *the* greatest musician, or that comparisons are
invalid (sometimes they are, sometimes not), but that when someone plays
music as well as Miles, there is no hierarchy ... Miles, Coltrane, Joni,
Wayne, Herbie, Jarrett, The Beatles, Jimi, Aretha, and many more, all make
music equally well, that is, as well as is possible.
-Fred
