David Dean Mendoza

Dear Listener,

Dear Composer,

Don’t be fooled

Please be careful when listening to New Music.  You may read that the composer’s music being presented attended Ivy League schools with advanced degrees, and have had many performances from around the world. They may also have studied with the greatest of living, or dead composers, and had their music played in the most famous of venues.  They may speak very well about their style, opinions, and creative processes. They may use the most advanced technology to date and create the newest of sounds. 

Sadly, you must realize that this does not mean their musicis of any quality.  Prepare yourself.  The sounds you may hear may: have no logical connection, no meaning with respect to the title, no direction, lack contrast, lack cohesion, be boring, be stupid, be more concerned with how pretty the notes look on the page, be more about the surface and less about the structure, be more about what technology is being used, be about how many microphones are being used, be about concepts instead of sound,be about how people are setup on stage, be about what instruments they made up or are using, be about what their professor though was cool at the time, be about whatever school or style they come from or follow, and lastly be about how they look on camera.

I always thought music was like cooking.  There seem to be endless possibilities,but only a trained professional can make these combinations work well for the eater.  Ah, but what about this role of the eater, or in this case, the listener.  I agree, the composer should be free to cook, to create whatever he/she wants to, and in the words of Milton Babbit, “who cares if you listen.”  The only issue here is that, Milton Babbit’s music is more interesting than what I am presently hearing today from some composers. In short, it takes a composer to know a composer, and these guys are no Milton Babbit.  Following my analogy, a dish created by Milton Babbit may taste sophisticated, complex flavors, a mixture of different proteins perhaps with exotic spices and sauces.  In the end, it has to taste good.  The music, or the sounds in some cases, has to work. You can’t keep mixing dog food with baby food, and keep expecting people to come to eat at your restaurant. Not to say anything about paying for a ticket.

So I say to you listener, don’t be fooled.  Just because they may have the appearance of being professional or talented, they just may not.  I don’t mean to lump all new young composers with my words, but many do need to hear them.  Although I defend their right to explore and create whatever sounds cross their minds, I am disappointed that after all their work in school, that they hardly have a handful of decent sounding music.  I expected more from mid level composers, and sound artists of our time. 

I have heard that it is not nice to criticize my fellow composers because it reflects badly upon myself as a supporter, friend, and fellow colleague.  I have grown tired on keeping my opinions to myself. I realize that every composer has his/her bad works and good works, and sometimes we may present a work that comes off as terrible from time to time.  That’s not what I am criticizing.  We all are students in a sense, and it takes many years to fully mature as a composer, and I realize this.  I am criticizing how laissez faire and indifferent these composers are about presenting their work.  This of course after lecturing to their students about how much care and attention must be paid to details. 

I am frankly sick of the whole thing.  Not sick of new music, of course, because I know what I like, and what I don’t like, which is more than I can say for some of my fellow composers who sometimes don’t have any opinion either way.  I may not be the most talented musician, or the most talented composer. In fact, I know I have several uninteresting pieces, but I am determined to keep going.  I am determined to improve as the years go by.  I am determined to make my mark and contribution to my filed of study no matter how little and insignificant it may be. I have an incredible amount of perseverance that shall not be stopped.  Any artist of any kind should have an unlimited amount of perseverance.  If not, then the high priests of New Music will crush you.  And antoher thing, don’t let the politics, egos,and unprofessional behavior of academia get in your way.  Your professor’s music is not as great as you think it is, and you can be just as great as they are.  So young composer, to you I say, don’t be fooled and don’t stop.  Keep learning from the scores of the masters, keep reading, keep practicing, keep writing no matter what comes out, and keep your love of music alive because it’s your love, and that of no one else.