Went to see a performance of the Magic Flute and was awed by the level of the music and performance. It transcends a lot of everyday achievement - as it should. The piece lasts about two hours, and is consistent throughout. Some thoughts, there are conventions used, understandings between the audience and the composer and performers, and these help set constraints for Mozart to play within or to push out. I had heard on Radio Canada about 30 years ago (Beaux Dimanches) a concert pianist say that pop music was really totally different than classical, and I know what she means, I keep getting reminded when I see live classical performances. The pianist at yesterday's performance was doing everything, had a synthesizer on the side that she used to do flute and glockenspiel while playing the main parts on the piano with an an extraordinary dynamic range. Too much - but somehow totally inspiring.
Then later at home I heard Dead Flowers interpreted by Steve Earle, and the words and music are powerful and fit extraordinarily well together although it is a parody of hillbilly music by the Sone's own admission. There is an element of truth that just comes out. And that can be as powerful as Mozart's stylized perfection.
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