tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3371351138596055444.post4652329385168336670..comments2024-01-20T23:55:26.269-08:00Comments on The Detritus Review: In Defense of Music CriticsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3371351138596055444.post-9704148676450473442010-01-22T19:05:10.170-08:002010-01-22T19:05:10.170-08:00@ AnthonyS: ...critics have as a sort of vox popu...@ AnthonyS: <i>...critics have as a sort of vox populi that serves as a check to arts organizations...</i><br /><br />This is an excellent point (and one that I'm sure I meant to make). The critic is often the only link to the outside world for an arts organization. That type insular mentality can lead to stale, banal programming out of touch with the community around them.Gustavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05316458340368681169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3371351138596055444.post-934903328348761632010-01-22T18:59:23.084-08:002010-01-22T18:59:23.084-08:00@ LindsayC: Thanks so much for your input. It is ...@ LindsayC: Thanks so much for your input. It is indeed wonderful to hear insight from the critic herself. And I believe that you handled the asshole admirably. Every critic has a unique perspective, and you have clearly articulated yours. That's a valuable tool you've given your readers, and as a reader I would certainly appreciate the honesty of your intentions. Perhaps the most loathsome of traits for a critic is pretending to know more than you do. <br /><br />I think anyone should appreciate that you are stretching out of your area expertise when you are covering a symphony, and learn to value what new perspectives that may yield.<br /><br />And thanks for the shout out on your response to the asshat.Gustavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05316458340368681169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3371351138596055444.post-62398718367219192812010-01-22T17:28:49.042-08:002010-01-22T17:28:49.042-08:00Great post, and I appreciate hearing from the crit...Great post, and I appreciate hearing from the critic community as well. The financial exigencies of news organizations are certainly relevant; something I really hadn't thought of too often.<br /><br />I'm certainly in the advocate/teacher camp-- not necessarily an advocate for a particular group or even form of art, but in the sense of advocating for public participation in the cultural life of a community. There are a lot of ways criticism contributes to this, and can be really positive with a good writer.<br /><br />There is also a unique power that critics have as a sort of vox populi that serves as a check to arts organizations-- this is tricky and can be pretty controversial, but I would like to think that critics can also "call out" organizations that need to hear some harsh truths. I'm thinking about a critic lamenting the standard-fare, canonic orchestral offerings-- you know, sort of pushing an organization to become more relevant and take more risks. Arts leadership is somewhat self-defeatingly conservative, especially in bad economic times-- though we have to understand that many organizations are hunkering down to weather storm with programs they know will sell out, I think that a critic can and should be an informed voice for holding a group to its artistic mission as well.AnthonyShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13162009600236566716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3371351138596055444.post-61192908540618148902010-01-22T15:00:50.327-08:002010-01-22T15:00:50.327-08:00“The critic should be able to frame the debate cle...“The critic should be able to frame the debate clearly, noticing things that others may not notice, and provide a context that may otherwise be hidden. The critic can also offer up comparisons, both historical and contemporary, and provide a summary of the extra-musical circumstances.”<br /><br />I wholeheartedly agree with this. In my position as a theater critic, I aim present the view of a thoughtful, educated audience member, one who has done her homework and is paying close attention to the context and presentation of the art. <br /><br />Of course, that's theater. As a staff writer for a mainstream news organization, I also cover dance, opera, visual art, jazz, classical music and a little food and wine. Thus, letters like this, printed (tackily, I think) by our competitor: <br /><br />http://www.thedailypage.com/isthmus/article.php?article=27977<br /><br />The person isn't wrong, as the Dude would say, he's just an asshole (and I strongly suspect he's the former critic whom I ousted about 6 months ago – this is a small town). I don't think he's wrong not to like my reviews – that's his right – but I do disagree about the role of a music critic for a major daily. <br /><br />So I wrote this: http://host.madison.com/entertainment/arts_and_theatre/blog/article_999700a8-06c6-11df-9349-001cc4c03286.html. <br /><br />In part: <br /><br />“I’m not writing for classical music experts. I’m writing for someone who, like me, enjoys the symphony, goes frequently and wants to know the character of the works presented. <br /><br />But then, what is the point of a music review? Is it to be, as the OP implies, authoritative, to provide some kind of “final word” on a performance? I would argue that it cannot be. A review should provide information and context about what the performers were trying to do, how well they did it and whether it was worth doing, from the perspective of one audience member.”<br /><br />I simply cannot be an expert, overnight, in every subject I cover. I listen to recordings of the programs I see. I read. I try to give context, as much as possible, in my 400-500 words. <br /><br />But unless a news org. is going to pay a passle of freelancers FAR less than what they're worth to attempt to get an expert on every little thing, you're probably going to get arts reviews written by a staff writer, and it's hit or miss whether that person is knowledgeable about the subject or not. I try to do my research, but that's the best I can do. <br /><br />That's my 50 cents.LindsayChttp://77square.com/artsnoreply@blogger.com