Gordon Mackie <[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >Been reading the deluge of posts and trying to synthesise some >thoughts but getting nowhere fast. As ever, Fred's got me thinking. >Where would we be without him.
Glad to be of service. >Anyhoo, this notion about critics and >personal taste has made me reflect upon the idea 'Has Joni realised >her intent in putting together 'Travelogue' I haven't heard 'Travelogue' yet, but I've always felt that Joni's realization-to-intent ratio has been extremely high. >I laughed about one of the other posts about the tight knickered >Brits. Would that include the maestro himself Signor Mendoza? No, he is from the USA. >Serious thought time.....( not gigling but looking quizzical) ..again >its Fred that's go tme thinking....is it possible to express ideas >which are objective? Attaining true human objectivity is probably akin to attaining the speed of light ... one can continually approach it yet never totally get there. But I think there are some ideas, concepts, judgments, etc., that can come very close to objectivity. In artistic terms, it is a nearly objective, nearly universal, assessment that Joni (or Miles Davis, Beethoven, Shakespeare, what have you) is a great artist. This has nothing to do with taste ... there are many people for whom she is not their cup of tea. Indeed, popularity, in and of itself, is a dangerous test of objective artistic worth; millions of folks think The Beatles were great artists, and in a nearly objective sense this is likely true, but millions also think that Kenny G is a great artist, and in a nearly objective sense this is likely false. In other words, there are criteria that can be used to measure the excellence of craft, skill, inspiration, and invention in artistic endeavors, criteria which can be taught and learned, either formally or informally. There are reasons why the songs of Richard Rodgers are exceptional, reasons which are revealed in the very nuts-and-bolts of his work, and reasons why the songs of Andrew Lloyd Weber fail to meet these standards despite his massive popularity. -Fred
