Philosophy
Today is Philip Glass' 75th birthday. One might claim that he is the last major symphonic composer. Provocatively, one might even claim that he could be the final great symphonic composer. With film scores becoming more and more dominated by popular music, could we be seeing the end of an art form? Every college and university has a music department or conservatory where composition is taught. Every major city has at least one orchestra. So, it is not that symphonic music is not performed. With so many teachers and students and surely advances in pedagogy and understanding of method, why aren't we seeing a string of new Copelands and Iveses? There is some contemporary music performed, but it tends to be boutique. It is the 17th through early 20th century stuff that brings in the crowds, well, that keeps the orchestras in business at least. Why don't we have contemporary big names in symphonic composition? Will Philip Glass be the last great symphonic composer?
- Modern Mencken
Tomorrow is Mencken day at the Enoch Pratt Library, honoring one of the great intellects of Baltimore. Who would be the modern day version of H.L. Mencken? Is there a writer who is smart, ascerbic, conservative, and wry? P.J. O'Rourke? ...
- Can You Really Own A Position?
I've been thinking about the use of the verb to own with respect to an intellectual view. When a student is being wishy-washy about a proposition he or she is arguing for and clearly believes, I'll tell the student to "own the position." ...
- Continuity Of Self
Today is my birthday and it is fun to look at all of the greetings on Facebook from folks I've known over the entire range of my life. Some who know me only as a graying department chair and others who knew me as a member of the red group in...
- Grammar Curmudeons
Had a student ask yesterday about grammatical pet peeves. His was "irregardless." My big three are: 1) "Quote" used for "quotation." Quote is a verb. You quote someone. What you write down is not a quote, but a quotation. ...
- Anachronistic Literary Comparisons
Last week a friend made the claim that Stephen King will be remembered as the 20th century's Charles Dickens. The trivial comparison, of course, would have been to say the 20th century's Poe, but when you think of commercial success and...
Philosophy
While Some See Philip Glass as Half Full
Today is Philip Glass' 75th birthday. One might claim that he is the last major symphonic composer. Provocatively, one might even claim that he could be the final great symphonic composer. With film scores becoming more and more dominated by popular music, could we be seeing the end of an art form? Every college and university has a music department or conservatory where composition is taught. Every major city has at least one orchestra. So, it is not that symphonic music is not performed. With so many teachers and students and surely advances in pedagogy and understanding of method, why aren't we seeing a string of new Copelands and Iveses? There is some contemporary music performed, but it tends to be boutique. It is the 17th through early 20th century stuff that brings in the crowds, well, that keeps the orchestras in business at least. Why don't we have contemporary big names in symphonic composition? Will Philip Glass be the last great symphonic composer?
- Modern Mencken
Tomorrow is Mencken day at the Enoch Pratt Library, honoring one of the great intellects of Baltimore. Who would be the modern day version of H.L. Mencken? Is there a writer who is smart, ascerbic, conservative, and wry? P.J. O'Rourke? ...
- Can You Really Own A Position?
I've been thinking about the use of the verb to own with respect to an intellectual view. When a student is being wishy-washy about a proposition he or she is arguing for and clearly believes, I'll tell the student to "own the position." ...
- Continuity Of Self
Today is my birthday and it is fun to look at all of the greetings on Facebook from folks I've known over the entire range of my life. Some who know me only as a graying department chair and others who knew me as a member of the red group in...
- Grammar Curmudeons
Had a student ask yesterday about grammatical pet peeves. His was "irregardless." My big three are: 1) "Quote" used for "quotation." Quote is a verb. You quote someone. What you write down is not a quote, but a quotation. ...
- Anachronistic Literary Comparisons
Last week a friend made the claim that Stephen King will be remembered as the 20th century's Charles Dickens. The trivial comparison, of course, would have been to say the 20th century's Poe, but when you think of commercial success and...