This continues to confuse me. I vaguely remember that Brendel in fact
likes Satie. I'd be happy to be disabused of this if I'm wrong.
Brendel's made a career playing a different repertoire--has he even
recorded Debussy or Ravel?--which can hardly be interpreted as a
distaste for other traditions.
What tradition (or individual pieces/composers) does Brendel consider
kitsch? (just like to know if he and I are in agreement). I've read a
bunch of his essays, but don't remember this part. If he takes issue
with a composer being immersed in the popular culture of his day he'd
have to disown much of Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven, which he clearly hasn't.
Satie has been taken over by the kitsch mongers (along with a great
deal else--think about poor Pachelbel, or Vivaldi, who's become the
ultimate elevator music), but I don't think anyone thinks he's kitsch.
Mark
At 10:28 AM 10/26/2007, you wrote:
>This is interesting, Peter, especially as I didn't know about
>Brendel's feelings. But, once again, these things are going to be
>personal, eh. I love Satie,too, & because he did something
>interesting with that popular feeling.
>
>On the other hand once the concept of 'kitsch' exists/(ed), how can
>I not find that it works? It's just that my choice of kitsch might
>not be others'....
>
>I admit that I do think of some kinds of art as 'sentimental' in the
>bad sense, while others get me because the sentiment rendered in
>them works (for me)....
>
>Doug
>On 25-Oct-07, at 8:36 AM, Peter Cudmore wrote:
>
>>I think the thing that is irksome about the ascription of the label
>>'sentimental' is the confidence with which it is done. I have a similar
>>problem with the concept of kitsch. There are a few things that I like that
>>other people describe as 'kitsch', and I'm damned if I'm going to come up
>>with 'ironic' ways of liking them.
>>
>>I'm thinking here of Alfred Brendel, who thus regards certain parts of the
>>classical piano repertoire. I don't know if he mentions Satie, but Satie is
>>a good example because his music is immersed in the local popular culture of
>>his day, though transformed by his touch. It's because I like Brendel so
>>much that I'm irked by this particular issue, because it makes me feel as
>>though I have to defend myself -- but against what? Why the hell shouldn't I
>>like Satie?
>Douglas Barbour
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