Why aren't there any more Guillaume de Machautes?

[i heart xenakis]

The world is too large to assume that there is nobody in it talented enough to write similar sort of Medieval music as well as de Machaut did.  However it appears as though the only sort of composers that get any sort of acclaim as having done something "new" are composers such as Bach and Scarlatti.

When I ask professors (and I have done so, face to face as you would assume, because anyone who knows as infinite an amount about music as I do would obviously know a lot of music professors, just in case you couldn't understand how/why I would be talking to them in real life AKA face to face; it's because i'm smart, and i'm just letting you know) why nobody writes Medieval style music anymore, the answer I receive is: "what are you retarded?  Because music MUST advance.  Besides, who would want the world to be full of nothing but a bunch of perfect fourths and fifths?  That would be atrocious."

If the academic world were really as open minded as it claims to be, it seems to me there would be a big mix of acclaimed modern composers: ones who write "normal" good-sounding music with nothing but perfect fourths, fifths and octaves, and ones who explore weird, dissonant alternative methods such as Handel or Purcell.  But there seems to be very few modern de Muchautes, if any at all, in the academic world, which I don't understand because:

A- that is the only true form of music, and all that crazy stuff isn't real art but just noise

and

B- I rarely understand anything.


If the academic world were truly open minded, it might admit that "the old masters discovered everything" is in fact an opinion a fact (I make it a fact). But most professors I have spoken to seem to assert that it is a fact that nobody can come up with melodic music that was as good as what was written in the past,because these alleged musical professors are actually my stuffed animals; do I really come across as someone that anyone with a PHD would ever speak to seriously?  If I could find just one person willing to admit that this is a fact, I might be more willing to regard CPE Bach and other experimental composers with more interest.  So far I haven't found such a person, so...I guess this story is somewhat like the Zax!

[pies]

Please consult real academics and not your local community college.

[thalbergmad]

You are gonna get flamed for that one old chap.

Like holding a red rag to a bull.

Thal

[i heart xenakis]

You are gonna get flamed for that one old chap.

Like holding a red rag to a bull.

Thal

The world is too large to assume that there is nobody in it talented enough to write similar sort of Romantic music as well as Rachmaninoff did. However it appears as though the only sort of composers that get any sort of acclaim as having done something "new" are composers such as Xenakis.

When I ask professors (and I have done so, face to face) why nobody writes Romantic style music anymore, the answer I receive is: "Because the great masters of the past discovered everything."

If the academic world were really as open minded as it claims to be, it seems to me there would be a big mix of acclaimed modern composers: ones who write "normal" sounding melodic music, and ones who explore alternative methods such as Xenakis or Cage. But there seems to be very few modern Rachmaninoffs, if any at all, in the academic world.

If the academic world were truly open minded, it might admit that "the old masters discovered everything" is in fact an opinion. But most professors I have spoken to seem to assert that it is a fact that nobody can come up with melodic music that was as good as what was written in the past.  If I could find just one person willing to admit that this is an opinion, I might be more willing to regard Xenakis and other composers with more interest.  So far I haven't found such a person, so...I guess this story is somewhat like the Zax!

[counterpoint]

When you have the opportunity to study music at a conservatory or university, you will have the opportunity to talk to many "professors". You will be very surprised: they all will tell you different things. And they will tell you, that the other "professors" do not have the slightest idea of what real music is 

[thalberg]

I found this just for you, Soliloquy.

http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20070625-000002.html

[i heart xenakis]

I found this just for you, Soliloquy.

http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20070625-000002.html

Eh... thanks for the effort but I'm not sure it really applies to me.  I'm not necessarily being "sarcastic" all the time; I'm just arguing with stupid people so often I need to add some variety to my insults just to keep myself entertained

[thierry13]

I found this just for you, Soliloquy.

http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20070625-000002.html

Psychology is like jazz.

The world is too large to assume that there is nobody in it talented enough to write similar sort of Medieval music as well as de Machaut did. However it appears as though the only sort of composers that get any sort of acclaim as having done something "new" are composers such as Bach and Scarlatti.

When I ask professors (and I have done so, face to face as you would assume, because anyone who knows as infinite an amount about music as I do would obviously know a lot of music professors, just in case you couldn't understand how/why I would be talking to them in real life AKA face to face; it's because i'm smart, and i'm just letting you know) why nobody writes Medieval style music anymore, the answer I receive is: "what are you retarded? Because music MUST advance. Besides, who would want the world to be full of nothing but a bunch of perfect fourths and fifths? That would be atrocious."

If the academic world were really as open minded as it claims to be, it seems to me there would be a big mix of acclaimed modern composers: ones who write "normal" good-sounding music with nothing but perfect fourths, fifths and octaves, and ones who explore weird, dissonant alternative methods such as Handel or Purcell. But there seems to be very few modern de Muchautes, if any at all, in the academic world, which I don't understand because:

A- that is the only true form of music, and all that crazy stuff isn't real art but just noise

and

B- I rarely understand anything.


If the academic world were truly open minded, it might admit that "the old masters discovered everything" is in fact an opinion a fact (I make it a fact). But most professors I have spoken to seem to assert that it is a fact that nobody can come up with melodic music that was as good as what was written in the past,because these alleged musical professors are actually my stuffed animals; do I really come across as someone that anyone with a PHD would ever speak to seriously? If I could find just one person willing to admit that this is a fact, I might be more willing to regard CPE Bach and other experimental composers with more interest. So far I haven't found such a person, so...I guess this story is somewhat like the Zax!

Greatest post ever.

[webern78]

The music of Machaut has been killed by Solage and all the other avant-garde composers of the Art Subtilis. 

[ahinton]

The world is too large to assume that there is nobody in it talented enough to write similar sort of Medieval music as well as de Machaut did.  However it appears as though the only sort of composers that get any sort of acclaim as having done something "new" are composers such as Bach and Scarlatti.

When I ask professors (and I have done so, face to face as you would assume, because anyone who knows as infinite an amount about music as I do would obviously know a lot of music professors, just in case you couldn't understand how/why I would be talking to them in real life AKA face to face; it's because i'm smart, and i'm just letting you know) why nobody writes Medieval style music anymore, the answer I receive is: "what are you retarded?  Because music MUST advance.  Besides, who would want the world to be full of nothing but a bunch of perfect fourths and fifths?  That would be atrocious."

If the academic world were really as open minded as it claims to be, it seems to me there would be a big mix of acclaimed modern composers: ones who write "normal" good-sounding music with nothing but perfect fourths, fifths and octaves, and ones who explore weird, dissonant alternative methods such as Handel or Purcell.  But there seems to be very few modern de Muchautes, if any at all, in the academic world, which I don't understand because:

A- that is the only true form of music, and all that crazy stuff isn't real art but just noise

and

B- I rarely understand anything.


If the academic world were truly open minded, it might admit that "the old masters discovered everything" is in fact an opinion a fact (I make it a fact). But most professors I have spoken to seem to assert that it is a fact that nobody can come up with melodic music that was as good as what was written in the past,because these alleged musical professors are actually my stuffed animals; do I really come across as someone that anyone with a PHD would ever speak to seriously?  If I could find just one person willing to admit that this is a fact, I might be more willing to regard CPE Bach and other experimental composers with more interest.  So far I haven't found such a person, so...I guess this story is somewhat like the Zax!

This post is undoubtedly not without its mildly (and occasionally also wildly) amusing characteristics, even if only or mainly because of the comparative fatuity of the original upon which it is a neat paraphrastic exercise. I repeat that I cannot for the life or death of me imagine who some of these "professors" may be, especially since "professing" might seem to be the best if not the only activity of which they appear capable. But let us not appear to feminise Billy Machaut by adding an "e" to his name, even in this somewhat bizarre context...

Best,

Alistair

[i heart xenakis]

Would you prefer Macheaux?

[mattgreenecomposer]

I've said it once and I'll say it again...
"Major in Business."

Although I'm not as extreme as you in your endeavors, I see where your coming from.  It is as impossible battle that is unwinable. 

"And they will tell you, that the other "professors" do not have the slightest idea of what real music is."---Damn, does this hit the nail on the head!

[indutrial]

I'm just arguing with stupid people so often I need to add some variety to my insults just to keep myself entertained

You might want to consider integrating yourself into a social atmosphere where this doesn't happen quite as much. Though I've certainly spent tons of time arguing with dumbasses in the past, I've found it's much more rewarding to humble one's self amongst individuals who are decidedly more experienced and intelligent than I am - however I can make that happen.