Kenneth Woods- A View From the Podium

There are some things I just don’t like to see in print.

In the realm of music, I do not like to see a reference to Haydn which includes any of the following terms-

“charming”

or

“delightful”

or

“innocent”

or

“jolly”

case study follows-

I wandered into a bookstore today, and spied two large and expensive volumes on Haydn (one was actually on Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven). The cover of one used words like “rhetoric” and “genius” while the other one described the same composer as “little more than a servant” whose music was “delightful.”

I don’t need to tell you which one I bought.

“Delightful” reduces a work of art to an object of entertainment, as does “charming.”  

“Good natured” reduces a genius musician philsopher to a bumpkin.

 ”Servant” reduces the director of the greatest orchestra ever assembled to the status of a musical cleaning lady.

Really, people…. Why write a book about a composer you don’t understand?

(Maybe I should ask __________  ____________….)