By the way, though I (of course) appreciate the compliments, I am sometimes drawn in by a single criticism where I should have thicker skin. To wit, one brief comment on the FSM board bugged me: a complaint about my putting "Various Troubles" at the head of CD 2 instead of where Varese had placed it, at the close of CD 1.
My response is thus: I did this intentionally because that's where Bernstein and company made the break themselves of the picture (and score) when they created the two parts. I wanted to preserve the natural architecture of Bernstein's music just as it was intended. The end of "Discovery" actually brings the score (and CD 1) to an intelligent finish with a minor-key statement of the main theme. By placing "Various Troubles" right after that on the same disc, (which is what Varese did) you bring action into play but you also literally introduce new material, now leaving no cadence to the first part of the score and creating an odd shape to what is otherwise beautifully constructed musical architecture. Bernstein fashioned his score into two large segments with design and purpose. He knew what he was doing. I preferred to follow his example. I understand music and didn't just toss this thing together.
Instead of saying something nice about how we brought all of this really classic music back in a generous 3-CD set for the price of one disc for a whole new generation of listeners he just complained (in my opinion without merit) about the sequence.
I shouldn't let complaints like this one get under my skin but... sometimes they do.
--Doug
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
