The Back Street Boys of Classical??

Might I also offer Robert Greenburg’s “Understanding Great Music” by TheTeachingCompany.com. You won’t be disappointed. I concur with Kurt. Anyone who dismisses Stravinsky as anything less than one of the great composers if not the greatest composer of the 20th century, particularly a music teacher, is either jealous or isn’t acknowledging his own biases and tastes. Stravinsky along with Debussy changed the course of music from the Romantic era to the Modern era. As a teacher I would think that the important fact is to encourage the student’s taste rather than influence or attempting to change it. But then again, we don’t live in a perfect world and generally our OWN individual preferences prevail. A great example of the popular sport of a critic trashing the work of a composer would be of Rachmaninov’s 1st Symphony, written just out of the Moscow Conservatory. It generally wasn’t well received and one critic wrote of it “If there was a convervatory in Hell, Mr. Rachmaninoff would take first prize.” Taste in music is as in taste in the equipment that reproduces, it is personal. Especially in music, the most abstract of the arts. I personally believe individual tastes should be nurtured and encouraged rather than dismissed. “Why do you like Stravinsky”? CW first, last and most importantly trust what you like, listen, learn and the rest will fall into place You should make it very clear what you like and let your teacher know why. This is also part of the learning. Trust your teacher completely only in the technique of learning and playing the music. Learn ABOUT the music, its origins, development and the composers from as many different sources as you can.

I do not know him, but from your quote your teacher sounds like an intellectual snob. Remember, in their day Mozart's Magic Flute and the Marriage of Figaro were "Show Tunes". Duke Ellington said "If it sounds good, it is good". Also, Shostakovich is finally getting the recogntion he deserves, but like all of them, not until 30 years after his death. Not very long ago he was a "Soviet Puppet Hack Composer". Back to classical "show tunes". Most "classical" music was composed not to be a high art; it was composed to make money or collect a pay check. Just like opera was really just the Theater of the day, I will predict that 100 years from now, movie composer John Williams will be considered a great composer. All of his music is very symphonic, and very listenable without the video. FINALLY A BOOK I HAVE IS "EVENINGS WITH THE ORCHESTRA"; a Norton companion for concertgoers; by D. Kern Holoman

On video I also have the complete set of Leonard Bernstein's lectures at Harvard University; and also the complete set of his television New York Philharmonic children's concerts. All very educational. You might find then at the library.

Cwlondon-

The other respondents are right. Your teacher may be a superb technician and theorist, but he(?) is a card-carrying snob. Stravinsky a "salon composer"? Good grief! Though he doesn't always fire my muse, Stravinsky was a composer of considerable rank and substance. Your teacher should shut up, teach you scales, harmony, theory, contrapuntal devices ( if you want to go that far ) and keep his opinions to himself. YOU be the judge of what you like, and screw "informed" opinion. Sorry, but that kind of stuff really torques me.

Someone else here wrote of a person who thought Mozart a lightweight. That almost defies a sensible reply! Most scholars I've read think him to be the greatest composer who ever lived. And he was no mean musician, either. He's certainly in my pantheon of composers along with Bruckner, Sibelius, Mahler, Schubert.

Maybe you should dump this teacher and find one who wants to teach, not pontificate.