But the thing most of the people that don't like Xenakis' music criticize is that the music should be pleasant to listen to.
Does it? I think, if anything, music should be about self-expression. Take Penderecki's "Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima" for instance. Listening to that piece is the furthest thing from a "pleasant" experience that I can think of. But it accomplishes its goal. Many have written grand, romantic pieces about similar topics that are not at all realistic. The bombing of Hiroshima isn't a pleasant subject, and giving it a (for lack of a better word) "pretty" soundtrack doesn't do it justice in my opinion. You see, that's one of the great things about modern music -- it can portray violent, unpleasant things in a realistic manner. And oftentimes, its effect on the listener can be shattering and even life-changing.
The other thing criticized is the fact that there are people who say they understand or like certain pieces of music to make others think they're clever or something. ( I can't see why anyone would do that but well, there are always the people who understand everything for the sake of understanding)
What's wrong with that? When I first read Joyce's
Ulysses I did it for similar reasons. But I later found it to be a brilliant book and a very enjoyable reading experience. I made the effort all along to understand what I was reading, researching the background behind practically every paragraph so I could understand what Joyce was alluding to. And in the process, I ended up accomplishing a lot more than simply reading a novel -- I learned a hell of a lot about literature, Irish history, and psychology.
Listening to modern music has had a similar effect on me. Through understanding what makes modern music what it is, I've learned so much about the history of music, the lives of different composers, and different ways to compose. And, by originally causing me to call into question everything I thought I knew about "art," it also taught me how to think in a completely different way, something that I welcome whether I agree with the way of thinking or not. I am a lover of knowledge, and anything that leads me to expanding my own horizons is OK in my book.
Anyways, I managed to found a piece of music that I actually like and I want to share it with you although the most must have already seen this
Good for you! You have proven my point -- you are obviously a reasonable individual who has made the effort to learn about something that you might not have originally liked, and in the process you discovered something that you enjoyed.
I enjoy that piece too, by the way.
Topic: Improv on a theme by Xenakis