Idk but Puccini does capture the moment but I'm more moved by Tosca as performed by Marie Callas and matches considerably A tragic story of passion and jealousy, it tells the story of the tempestuous opera singer Floria Tosca, as she fights to save her lover Cavaradossi from the sadistic police chief Scarpia… As in the end justice is served and the wicked corrupt secret police are despatched with extreme prejudice. Nice ending, karma never sleeps;)
All too true we have seen a degradation from Puccini to Cage - but perhaps the deconstruction needed to happen before it could be put back together again. There are geniuses like Coltrane - who deconstructed brilliantly.
Thanks for your thoughtful add KW. "perhaps the deconstruction needed to happen," perhaps. My favorite David Attenborough documentary is First Life, https://youtu.be/bpAMofkm6ho?feature=shared , he theorizes that when a predator gained a new advantage the prey would gain a new defense, hence the process of evolution. I like to think of that when I am faced with obstacles that seem overwhelming, then my attitude changes to: "hey, an opportunity to evolve to the next level!" Ha, it works for me. I don't quite hear the evolution from Puccini to Riley or Coltrane, but I am not a musician.
“ In contrast, by the mid-20th century, the emergence of postmodernism, exemplified by Cage’s Water Walk, marked the antithesis of these ideals. Cage’s nihilism, which shat on meaningful music and art, gave us a sewer scum puddle's reflection of humanity. This was made possible through the CIA's covert funding and propaganda”
Could mid-century fascism have been a precursor to postmodernism? That’s when the CIA really got started.
It's no coincidence that when my soul was dying at the end of two years of lockdowns, listening to "Turandot" on loop while I packed to get out of NY made me able to finish what I needed to do against all odds. Beautiful. If I ever get married, I want to walk down the aisle to "Nessun Dorma".
That is amazing! The life size effect is lost on the screen, but I can imagine how mind-blowing that is IRL. And yes, beautiful and meaningful art can literally be the difference between life and death. It’s hard to truly understand that until you’ve felt it happen. Two things helped me survive the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022: Ivermectin that AFLDS sent me to get rid of long covid symptoms, and a recording of “Turandot” from the Forbidden City that gave me the will to keep living no matter what.
Yep, along with Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, and the CIA. Andrei Gavrilov, pianist, has done a superhuman job dusting the cobwebs off Bach’s Well-tempered klavier (google it)!
WWII killed our culture. Yeah, we had a few nice blips, but the rot had truly set in - from the academy to the practitioner to the ways of funding and promoting all the arts.
The war told us that humans could be discarded like chaff. Given that, why invest in humanity to create art for humans?
Wow, listening to the two back to back is extremely jarring! I usually enjoy classical music without voice, but I was surprised and inspired by the warmth, richness, and depth of the voice of Puccini. Cage’s performance felt like a stunt or a joke, impersonal. Reminded me of the three stooges somehow.
wow. okay i thought i was going to save this to read for later but i wound up reading it now haha. i am... going to restack this so i can have it saved and come back to this and other works you've published re: the CIA and the subversion of humanity via the arts (one of their many avenues) but i want to really hone in on this... because they know its power. this is why they target it. this is the BEST news ever for artists of course, which sounds weird to say, but i know you know what i mean.
incoherence of mind. if you want to lead people around without a fight, they must not be exposed to beauty. they must be comfortable not understanding, anything, just do as they are told. a coherent world view, a coherent understanding of history, beauty, even of self, cannot be allowed. do not think 7 generations ahead, just the ever dissonant now.
Just wow. These are such impossible things to put into words and yet what so many of us know and understand. Perfect. I just want to ponder more before I try and comment. It's so moving that I just feel silent.
Idk but Puccini does capture the moment but I'm more moved by Tosca as performed by Marie Callas and matches considerably A tragic story of passion and jealousy, it tells the story of the tempestuous opera singer Floria Tosca, as she fights to save her lover Cavaradossi from the sadistic police chief Scarpia… As in the end justice is served and the wicked corrupt secret police are despatched with extreme prejudice. Nice ending, karma never sleeps;)
All too true we have seen a degradation from Puccini to Cage - but perhaps the deconstruction needed to happen before it could be put back together again. There are geniuses like Coltrane - who deconstructed brilliantly.
https://youtu.be/rqpriUFsMQQ?si=Sf19k1XBM5LOITwj
And artists like Terry Riley also made their contributions brilliantly.
https://youtu.be/hy3W-3HPMWg?si=iRA0ZzKTbVlEKNbK
The artists I work with currently have been listening to it all and are beginning to create an entirely new synthesis.
Thanks for your thoughtful add KW. "perhaps the deconstruction needed to happen," perhaps. My favorite David Attenborough documentary is First Life, https://youtu.be/bpAMofkm6ho?feature=shared , he theorizes that when a predator gained a new advantage the prey would gain a new defense, hence the process of evolution. I like to think of that when I am faced with obstacles that seem overwhelming, then my attitude changes to: "hey, an opportunity to evolve to the next level!" Ha, it works for me. I don't quite hear the evolution from Puccini to Riley or Coltrane, but I am not a musician.
“ In contrast, by the mid-20th century, the emergence of postmodernism, exemplified by Cage’s Water Walk, marked the antithesis of these ideals. Cage’s nihilism, which shat on meaningful music and art, gave us a sewer scum puddle's reflection of humanity. This was made possible through the CIA's covert funding and propaganda”
Could mid-century fascism have been a precursor to postmodernism? That’s when the CIA really got started.
It's no coincidence that when my soul was dying at the end of two years of lockdowns, listening to "Turandot" on loop while I packed to get out of NY made me able to finish what I needed to do against all odds. Beautiful. If I ever get married, I want to walk down the aisle to "Nessun Dorma".
That is a beautiful testament to the power of beautiful and meaningful art. I don't know if you have seen my lifesize portrait of Puccini? https://newberryarchive.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/puccinie.jpg?w=576&h=487&crop=1
That is amazing! The life size effect is lost on the screen, but I can imagine how mind-blowing that is IRL. And yes, beautiful and meaningful art can literally be the difference between life and death. It’s hard to truly understand that until you’ve felt it happen. Two things helped me survive the end of 2021 and beginning of 2022: Ivermectin that AFLDS sent me to get rid of long covid symptoms, and a recording of “Turandot” from the Forbidden City that gave me the will to keep living no matter what.
Thank you @Anna Cole , I appreciate you sharing your important experiences, and how the right art helped you in the right way.
My God, what a fraud Cage was. I hope music has marginally improved since then.
Yep, along with Merce Cunningham, Jasper Johns, and the CIA. Andrei Gavrilov, pianist, has done a superhuman job dusting the cobwebs off Bach’s Well-tempered klavier (google it)!
WWII killed our culture. Yeah, we had a few nice blips, but the rot had truly set in - from the academy to the practitioner to the ways of funding and promoting all the arts.
The war told us that humans could be discarded like chaff. Given that, why invest in humanity to create art for humans?
So the avant garde killed art.
Definitely a turning point and a catalyst for the creation of the CIA. : (
Wow, listening to the two back to back is extremely jarring! I usually enjoy classical music without voice, but I was surprised and inspired by the warmth, richness, and depth of the voice of Puccini. Cage’s performance felt like a stunt or a joke, impersonal. Reminded me of the three stooges somehow.
wow. okay i thought i was going to save this to read for later but i wound up reading it now haha. i am... going to restack this so i can have it saved and come back to this and other works you've published re: the CIA and the subversion of humanity via the arts (one of their many avenues) but i want to really hone in on this... because they know its power. this is why they target it. this is the BEST news ever for artists of course, which sounds weird to say, but i know you know what i mean.
Well put.
Why though? Who was driving behind the scenes. Why was traditional ‘culture’ seen as such a threat? And why play into the hands of the Soviets?
Who gains by the collapse of reason, perception, and heart?
incoherence of mind. if you want to lead people around without a fight, they must not be exposed to beauty. they must be comfortable not understanding, anything, just do as they are told. a coherent world view, a coherent understanding of history, beauty, even of self, cannot be allowed. do not think 7 generations ahead, just the ever dissonant now.
This is so well put.
Thanks, i watched, listened to it in real time. Horrific.
Just wow. These are such impossible things to put into words and yet what so many of us know and understand. Perfect. I just want to ponder more before I try and comment. It's so moving that I just feel silent.
Thank you Margo.