Celebration

It's Wolfie's birthday today. Had he lived he would have been 250 years old today (and probably would have arthritis, amnesia and lots of other ailments). Am being terribly irreverent if I say I don't quite understand what all the fuss is about? Sure, I like Mozart's late symphonies, I like his "Dissonance" quartet (String quartet in C major, K 465), I like his "Alla Turca" (and have even performed it on stage) and some of the piano pieces. But that's about it I'm afraid. Can a trained musicologist really claim that he doesn't really like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart that much? Well, at least I can.

Why? Put simply, the music doesn't speak to me.

Come on, you are a musicologist. Discuss!
OK. First of all, too many of his works are too happy sounding: major keys, merry melodies and uptempo. And I don't like opera, period. At least no operas from before 1950. The works that do not fit this description may have melodies that don't get me or they may be too formulaic.

Generally, the classic period is not my period of choice even though musical life during this period is really interesting, which is one of the reasons I am doing my thesis on musical life in Malmo during the first half of the 18th century. My favourites from this period would be Joseph Martin Kraus, Johann Nepomuk Hummel and Beethoven the deaf. Genius or not - please spare me from hearing that misused word again in conjunction with Mozart - Wolfgang's music is not my cup of tea.

My thoughts on this are backed up by the most culturally aware budgie alive: Fassbinder. I have tried playing Mozart to him. No reaction. Beethoven? He loves most of the symphonies, the late string quartets and the piano concertos (featuring Alfred Brendel). A very discriminating gentleman, he is teaching his budgie friend Livingston about what's good and bad within culture.

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NP: The Dissonance Quartet as played by Quator Ysaÿe. Quite enjoyable, but certainly not up there with the mighty Ludwig's late quartets.

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Celebration is one of the two bonus tracks on Tony Williams' Lifetime's Believe It CD. Maybe not up to par compared to burning tracks like "Snake Oil", "Proto-Cosmos" or "Wildlife" where Williams just blows everyone away while grooving like there's no tomorrow and Allan Holdsworth playing like a burning stuntman.