well, you're right -- it's not up to me to determine how incendiary something is. But it's not a given that a fistfight would be more influential than a change in academic perception. How physically safe you are doesn't necessarily enter into the equation.
The most culturally revolutionary thing about Beethoven is much more practical -- that he was the first major composer to make a living in the private sector.
Just from listening to Ludwig van's later stuff, I'd say he had a lot more sheerly musical relevance than you're suggesting. Seems like making a living in the private sector was just a necessary move, given the changing economic and social climate for musicians. But the musical and the economic are inextricably related on many levels, so I can see how right you are here.
From: skip Heller <velaires@earthlink.net> To: Crowmeat Bob <crowmeat@hotmail.com>,<zorn-list@lists.xmission.com> Subject: Re: No Subject Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 15:41:31 -0800
The Godhead of white civilized culture is, of course, Eminem or Bach. It's so hard to keep them straight.
As for Beethoven's position in any culture, that's probably only of interest within the academe, which means -- at it's most incendiary -- Braxton is stirring up a tempest in a teacup. Who would make an asserion about Beethoven like that unless he specifically wanted to tick off a bunch of guys who teach composition? What are those guys gonna do? Start a fistfight? Not likely. You're safer questioning one of their figureheads than you are by saying something similar about Malcom X in earshot of Chuck D.
The most culturally revolutionary thing about Beethoven is much more practical -- that he was the first major composer to make a living in the private sector. No matter what color you are, it's still hard for a composer to make a living writing challenging stuff, unless he's around some of Hollywood's most deranged film producers (which happens just often enough for it not to be ruled out).
sh
I find it brilliant because it goes straight for the godhead of white civilized culture and, instead of taking the angle that Beethoven only made structural additions to a phallocentric, heirarchical tradition, it undermines his very identity and position in that culture. Cultural purists who vehemently deny Beethoven was 'of Moorish descent' only reveal their own racism in attempting to preserve the whiteness of their cultural giants from the dark forces of historical revisionism. Or is it a case of 'reverse revisionism'? who gives a fuck really if he was black or white or somewhere on the gray scale, ultimately, aside from the Purists? I just think it's brilliant because it 'puts a black-gloved fist up the diz of all conservative musical architects', to paraphrase someone claiming to be Thomas Pynchon.
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