My point about Arvo Part was concerning a specific work of his, not a
generalised comment on his or others music. Its context was what can be done
with unpromising language, indigestible prose.
Pound's artistic project in The Cantos was political, it was a politics
derived from his aesthetics and thus confused, disastrously, categories. Its
politics were specifically totalitarian. You don't have to take my opinion
on that - he states so himself in the 'Guide to Kulchur' which calls for 'a
new synthesis, the totalitarian'.
His intentions were would-be universalist, in no way are The Cantos supposed
to fragmentary. That they are is an index of artistic failure. His method
does not approach a fragmented world as an reality to be experienced.
As aesthetic law-giver in this Ezra-world he decrees, in 'The ABC of
Reading' that 'poetry must be as well written as prose. Its language must be
fine language, departing in no way from speech save by heightened intensity
(i.e.simplicity). There must be no book words, no periphrase, no
inversions'.
If ever there was a case of man hoist by his own petard. His writing is full
of 'book-words, periphrase, inversions'. As for being as well written as
prose ... (The image of someone blowing themselves up with their own
primitive bomb is quite apt in his case I think)
--
David Bircumshaw
Website and A Chide's Alphabet
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david.bircumshaw/
The Animal Subsides http://www.arrowheadpress.co.uk/books/animal.html
Leicester Poetry Society: http://www.poetryleicester.co.uk
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