Page Two
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Saturday, October 31, 1970 A
Page Tw, THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Saura, Otoer31 17
music
Contemporary sound
in a boring display
By JOE PEHRSON
I can't say the evening of the last concert of the Contemporary
Music Festival series was entirely wasted. In particular, I learned
the method by which one makes music, which is only mediocre in
its own right, important.
Glenn Gould claims the concert situation is dead. I do hope the
pretentious atmosphere of the Friday night concert at Hill audi-
torium turns its ceremony into funereal rights.
The separation of audience from the music presented was
incredible. Musical concepts were transcribed into visual display,
the concert hall display, and conveyed to the listener in a package
that reminded one of some ostentatious Christmas wrapping.
Music, which in its own right, couldn't claim conceptual
importance was emphasized by these methods - methods which
have no place inside or outside any musical establishment.
I found it tremendously difficult to get past this atmosphere,
but since there was music presented on this program (I'm tempted
rather to evaluate the display, certainly the focus of attention
for this concert) some comments should be made on the material.
The University Chamber Choir presented three works which
wre discouragingly similar. Ginastera's "Two Chorales" from the
opera Bomarzo served as a pleasant, but unstimulating locus for
the other works - "Psalm 54" by Charles Ives, and two pieces,
by Schoenberg: "Verhundenheit" and "De Profundis".
Ginastera's piece was a locus in terms of dissonance: both
Schonberg pieces and the Ives piece have greater dissonance. Un-
fortunately, this slight difference in dissonance level was the only
real distinction between the three works, really too similar to be
presented in a choral sequence.
The Ives was disturbingly muddy. I believe this was more
than an acoustical problem - although bad acoustics attributed to
this problem. Ives is tremendously difficult to perform properly,
and I was left with the impression that appropriate emphasis was
not placed on the individual elements in this piece. In fact, what
might have been an amazingly interesting piece was actually drab,
and usually its tremendously difficult to destroy the enthusiasm
inherent in any of Ives' work.
"De Profundis" (Psalm 130), by Schoenberg, the other piece
worth mentioning separately, includes elements of "sprechstimme",
Schoenberg's spoken elements. This contrast created some interest
which was lacking in the other pieces.
Ginastra's "Piano Concerto" is a pretentious gem. Some of it,
surprisingly enough, is actually good. Barbara Nissman, soloist,
should be complimented for a spectacular performance, both in
technique and conception. She had an amazing sensitivity to
music which, in many cases, was not really worth the effort. Tech-
nically, this performance wa almost flawless - quite spectacular.
Unfortunately, the performance by the University Symphony
Orchestra, in the concerto, was nowhere near as good. The last
movement, in particular, was atrocious. As a friend of mine suc-
cinctly stated, Ginastera "copped out" after the second movement.
The first movement "Cadenza e varianti" was quite good, and
allowed for some interesting interplay between orchestral and solo
piano elements. This movement included some of the better music
by Ginastera I have yet heard.
The second movement "scherzo allucinante" began quite well
but ended with some stylized serial elements which were really
out of place. The third movement "Adagissimo" was tiringly dry,
and the performance of the last movement "Toccata concertata"
made it impossible to tell what the music was like.
The last piece on the program "Estudios Sinfonicos" by Ginas-
tera was an appropriate test for the validity of his music. The titles
of the separate movements were extremely intresting, and includ-
ed many of the topics which are at issue in contemporary music:
"For densities", "For a single note", "For aleatory structures".
In other words, this choice of material made it possible to
evaluate Ginastera's contribution to separate issues of the contem-
porary music scene.
He failed miserably. None of these movements made a serious
attempt to deal with the subject matter. Instead, elements of
the subject were treated in a "musical" manner - at least in
Ginastera's conception of a contemporary "musical" manner. This
means, essentially, that the music was made lighter as elements of
content were incorporated in a popular context. The burden of
reconciling the titles with some sort of serious attempt at new music
was avoided.
It's too bad he ever decided to write this piece. Now we know
exactly where he's at.
J
JimMorrisongetsindecent.sentence
MIAMI (1') - Bushy-bearded
Jim Morrison, self proclaimed
"king of orgasmic rock," was
sentenced to six months in jail
Friday and fined $500 after be-
ing convicted of dropping h i s
pants in front of a Miami rock
music audience last year.
Morrison, his curly brown hair
draping over his shoulders, was
dressed in a wool jacket adorn-
ed with Indian designs as he
silently listened to his sentenc-
ing on the indecent exposure
and profanity conviction of last
month.
The lead singer of the "Doors,"
who dropped his pants during
a concert at Dinner Key audi-
torium, remained free on $50,-
000 bond.
"You are a person graced with
a talent, admired by many of
your peers," Criminal C o u r t
Judge Murray Goodman told
Morrison.
"Man tends to imitate t h at
which he admires and t h o s e
gifted with the ability to lead
and influence others should
strive to bring out the best, and
not the worst in his admirers."
Morrison's performance spark-
ed several campaigns against in-
decency, including an Orange
Bowl rally attended by 30,000
persons several weeks after the
rock concert.
The Daily is anxious to cor-
rect errors or distortions in
- - news stories, features, reviews
- or editorials. If you have a com-
plaint, please call Editor Mar-
tin Hirschman at 764-0562.
Associated Press I
FcBielF Svice meeting, Sun-
DailyOfficialBulletin!day, FieldeNov.1, 7:00 p.m. Union 3C. ARMAmericn Revolutionary Media presents
Creative Arts Festival Mass Meeting
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 Tues., Nov. 3, Union Ballroom 8:00 SATU RDAY, OCT. 31
Da Cae d p.m. "Express Yourself".
Day Caendar* .* *«
U of M Flyers' Second Annual "Avia- Halloween Film Festival
Residential College Conference: "New tion Day", Oct. 31, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.,
Academic Community," East Quad, 8:30 Rain date: Nov. i. Cars eave union -3 HORRORS-
a.m. evein 15 min. Airplane Rides, everyone --
Center for Chinese Studies and Chin- welcome.
ese Students Assoc. Film: A Chinese * * ~ * the Original
Language film and "Night at the Pe- T f o d rn
king Opera" (short), Nat. Sci. Aud., .7 O ffice of St i t cl anizati Fs FRANKENSTEIN
andfe9spom. Oct. 30th, and Mon., Nov. 2nd. On Tues-
Professional Theatre Program: "Lit- dat we an be fond on tei with Boris Karloff 7:40 & midnight
tie Murders." Lydia Mendelssohn Thea-dayreocan e foundU thenird
floor of te Michigan Union in rooms331-341 Roger Corman's
I* * * HAUNTED PALACE
j j omen's Liberation Coalition Coin-
ORGANIZATION ntee meeting 2:00 p.m. 3516 SAB, with Vincent Price, Lon Chaney, Jr.
Nov. 1st. in Color 6:00 & 10:30 p.m.
NOTICES China Cinema: A Chinese language VILLAGE OF THE DAMN ED
;",:..... ."""",",,~ ctonfilm with EnglishsutlepusV L A EO T E D MD
:"::::,: F::, >< er:,{:":: ::::::;<>? >: second feature, Night at the Peking a
Free University Steering Committee Opera Oct. 31, Sat. 8 p.m. Nat. Sci. Children freaked out on the nuclear family"
meeting, Sun., Nov. 1, 7 p.m. at 1309 Aud. Chinese Students Association in
Washtenaw No. 3. Potluck dinner. Open conjunction with Center for Chinese Continuous from 6:00 p.m -3:00 a.m. $1.00
to community; all invited. Studies. Admission charge.
3_____y_____CANTERBURY HOUSE
CINEA II330 Maynard ~btwn William & Liberty
(paid political ad.
Dear Congressman:
My son died in Viet Nam.
Is this the price of pride?
-Mother
1°m the Joe the whole
Contrys talking, about!
"A TRIUMPHI A RIP-SNORTERI A
'THIS MINUTE'FILMI" --Judith Crist
c'JOE' MUST SURELY RANK IN IMPACT
WITH 'BONNIE AND CLYDE'!"-Time Magazin
S * * * I LOVE ITI"--Chicago-sun Times
"TAUT AND COMPELLING!"--washington Po.t
"cWILL BE A BOXOFFICE SENSATION!
--Chicago Tribune
"AN OCCASION FOR CHEERING!"
-Philadelphia Daily News
1 "A MASTERPIECE! -chicago Today
7"CLEARLY THE MOVIE OF THE MOMENT
AND MAYBE THE MOVIE OF THE YEAR!I
-Washington Star
* **2* BRILLIANTLY DONE,
DEVASTATINGLY FUNNY! -New York Daily News
Haircuts that
don't look
like haircuts
TRY US
DASCO LA
U-M BARBERS
E. Univ. off South U.
44
,4" nth,
AAP
10i
COLOR A CANNON RELEASE ( E
under 18 must be accompanied by adult guardian
SAT, 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00, 1 1:00-SUN., 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
O O FPiTH POrUM
IFIFTH AVENUE AT LIBERTYV
liiIDOWNTOWN ANN ARBOR
INFORMATION 769-8700
adults $2.50 (matinees $2.00)
children $1.00 all shows
NOTE: IN ORDER THAT WE' MAY BETTER ACCOMMODATE
THE CROWDS FOR 'JOE,' THERE WILL BE NO KIDDIE MATI-
NEES THIS WEEKEND'
DESI ARNAZ
and HIS BAND
"It kinda chokes me up"-
-FRED MERTZ
"Counterrevolutionary"-
-FIDEL
Once while you
were at the' movies
"After seeing this I wish
I never let him go." -
we were at a flood.
LUCY
}
ROMAN POLANSKI'S
Cul' De Sac
"A Halloween horror"-
-L. TAFFER
FRI. & SAT.-7 & 9:30
75c
AUD. A-ANGELL HALL
*4
COLOR by DeLuxe' I® UntdoArtistsI
MAX VON SYDOW 0 LIV ULMANN " BIB ANDERSSON
Exporing the 6DIAL
basic human ,iAk11bY
failing 8-64 16
A-
~s a a a a a a
HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL
WED., OCT. 28: The Cat People
dir. JACQUES TOUTNER (1942)
Girl believes she turns into a cat as a result
of a curse.
THURS., FRI., OCT. 29-30:
The Day the Earth Stood Still
dir. ROBERT WISE (1951)
Michael Rennie tries to save Earthmen
from themselves.
SAT., SUN., OCT. 31-NOV. 1:
111 YEARS OLD
AND STILL GOING STRONG!
THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
MEN'S GLEE CLUB
WILLIS PATTERSON, Director
presents a
JOINT CONCERT
with
THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
MEN'S GLEE CLUB
WILLIAM OLSON, Director
I
U - - -.a'