Music now; Vincent Persichetti

Music No. With. Music written all to be plainer or to be heard. Music of our own day created by composers of our time. To express and interpret the life of the mid 20th century. MUSIC NO is produced and recorded by the broadcasting services of the University of Alabama. Under a grant from the National Educational Television and Radio Center in cooperation with the National Association of educational broadcasters. This is the ninth and final programme in a series demonstrating the accomplishments of the American composer at mid-century. The music you have heard on the series has been the work of 16 composers resident in six southeastern states. It has been music that probably supports the claim that American composers have come of age and that American music is a vital and integral part of our culture. In this final program you will hear a

discussion and complete performance of the third string quartet Opus 81 by the eminent American composer Vincent persecutee. Mr. Percy Getty's work will be played by the Alabama quartet quartet in residence at the University of Alabama. The work was commissioned for the Alabama collected by the University of Alabama. Here with us to discuss the persecutee quartet is Dr. Jeff gross an assistant professor of theory and composition at the University of Alabama. Dr. Grossman is a composer and a member of the Southeastern composers League Two of his works have been heard on past programs of music now. Dr. Grossman can you give us some background on Percy Getty's quartet. The persecutee Third Quartet is predominantly lyrical in conception. It's unselfconscious music written for music's sake. I might say that it takes the singing quality for granted. For example let's listen to this beautiful slow section that comes fairly close to the beginning of the

work. It is a fine example of 20th century lyricism at its best. I think we'll all agree that the common charge that modern music can't sing or doesn't have any melody fails to hold up here. On the other hand no extended work like this quartet could hold one's interest

without contrast and contrast as an integral part of the persecutee work. There are sections of violent agitation which rise to powerful climaxes perhaps we could hear the big climax that occurs near the end of the quartet. You surely won't fail to notice the strong rhythmic outline which is such an important element in the high excitement as the music. Gets at that. From this we can see that persecutes music has many aspects. But above all it has personality or style. Your last remark brings up a point that seems to be of general interest and that is the matter of a composer style. How would you characterize persnickety style of composition as a radical conservative. Well just where would you

place him. Well with persecuted music or with the music of any good composer it's never entirely fair to pigeonhole it. If it is real music it makes its appeal entirely on its own terms. Persecute these music is the kind that sticks in the ear. We recognize it. We want to hear it again. Does that mean that there are no generalities that can be used to describe persecuted music. For that matter can't any music be absolutely unique. Well no no I think we all realize no music is divorced from the musical past any more than it could be divorced from the musical present. Generally speaking I would say that person carries music belongs to the mainstream of American music. It's middle of the road music. It isn't radical in the wildly experimental sense and it doesn't seek to shock its listeners. For example the Third Quartet is in one movement a form persecutee likes and which he has used before. It employs a

12 tone theme at the opening. But it can doesn't continue in 12 tone and in fact the music is frankly tonal persecutory is not a slave to any ism or ideology of musical composition. He is his own man which is much better. Sometimes composers will let their hair down so to speak and vocal about their own work has personally ever done this as you have or made statements about his music or his aesthetic attitudes that would help the listener to understand his work. Fortunately persecutory is an urbane and articulate man so his comments about his music are apt to be both interesting and revealing. He has described the Third Quartet for example as music that amalgamates or unites the tendencies developed in American music during the 1920s and 1930s. I suppose if we were to use one word to describe persecute his own estimate of his music we might call it

eclectic. He has used materials that were first devised by others but the important thing is he has made them his own. This making them his own accounts for the personal flavor of his music. It's one of its great strengths. Thank you Dr goes for an hour we will hear eventually prosecute is third string quartet performed by the Alabama quartet. Morning.

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You have just heard the third string quartet Opus 81 by Benjamin persnickety.

They've performance was by the Alabama quite dead quartet in residence at the University of Alabama. Well the performance of the approach to get a third quite dead we conclude the ninth and final program in a series entitled music no music now has been presented by the music department of the University of Alabama. The series was written by JF goes I'm coordinated by David Cohen and produced by David Marx or your commentator for music now has been jam all day. Music now was produced and recorded by the broadcasting services of the University of Alabama under a grant from the National Educational Television and Radio Center and is being distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters. This is the end E.B. Radio Network. Oh.