[MD] Churning Point

[Platt Holden]

Hi Ant:

Yes, we indeed have a "static/Dynamic difference of opinion." As I've 
claimed before, no painting has surpassed in quality the depictions of 
animals in the caves of Lascaux, executed with a "palette" of what many 
today would call dirt. I would also claim that no painting has 
surpassed in quality the pencil drawings of Rembrandt, the black paint 
brush drawings of Picasso or the Zen ink paintings of Japanese masters. 
Along similar lines, I do not think Shakespeare's plays are any better 
today when accompanied by the production values of Hollywood than when 
played on a bare stage, or that the artistry of Segovia is any greater 
when accompanied by the London Philharmonic and then when playing 
alone. No, quality of art isn't dependent on its medium, nor can poor 
art be hidden by slick or spectacular "production values." Beauty 
transcends material considerations. Otherwise, it would not be found in 
a physicist's equations, or in a PhD thesis. :-).        

Best regards,
Platt

> I think we have what could be termed
 a static-Dynamic difference of
> opinion here  :-)
> 
> Regarding my observation that the Beatles had a far greater palette of
> sound than Mozart, I wasn’t just referring to “electronic gimmickry”
> (which seems slightly derogatory) but rather all the classical Western
> instrumentation Mozart had available plus rock and roll instrumentation
> (such as the electric guitar) plus Indian instrumentation (such as the
> sitar) plus electronic instrumentation (such as tape loops, mellotron
> and, towards the end of their career, the synthesiser).  They also had
> an excellent classically trained producer (with an interest in the
> avant-garde) in the form of George Martin to realise their sound
> imagery, to arrange their material and to bounce ideas off.
> 
> Mozart was a great composer but he simply wasn’t involved in the
> electronic reproduction and manipulation of music as that was only
> developed after his lifetime.  His recorded music has to rely on the
> skills of recording engineers and producers who might take decisions on
> how to present his music that he would have vehemently disagreed with. 
> “God only knows” what liberties, producers and arrangers have taken with
> his work since his music began to be recorded.
> 
> On the other hand, I must admit Mozart’s bass playing puts Paul
> McCartney’s scraping to shame, his peace songs and surrealistic lyrics
> make Lennon’s songs sound like that they were written by a news reader
> and his singing makes Elvis sound like Bob Dylan after a rough night. 
> :-)
> 
> Best wishes,
> 
> Ant