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Category: On the Beat
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Blues Based Music Theories

8 December 2023
also touching on 21st C. Homophony Manuel Ponce the Progressive Following up on some earlier thoughts on George Lewis and Philip Ewell and their call for blues-based music theory. I repeat that call and elaborate. For decades I’ve complained …
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Martin Boykan and Richard Festinger Harmonic Movement and Backgrounds

26 October 2023
In progress… Yesterday at Oktaven Studios in Mount Vernon, New York, Cygnus recorded Martin Boykan’s “Diptych” and Richard Festinger’s “Hidden Spring”. Some notes on Boykan, HERE. Those comments mostly about …
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What Scott Knew notes on Scott Johnson's "Bowery Haunt"

11 August 2023
Sept 14 T h e V i l l a g e T r i p GuitarFest 1 In Memory of Scott Johnson at Loft393 will include Scott’s Bowery Haunt (2005). Eventbrite Tickets –> https://www.thevillagetrip.com/event/tvt-guitarfest-1/ I don’t know what …
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Thinking about Scott Johnson, by Frank Brickle

20 July 2023
Composer Frank Brickle shares his thoughts about Scott Johnson Frank Brickle was always less pig-headed than I was. Frank was an early advocate for Morton Feldman within certain cirlces in which and at a time when Feldman was a hard sell. He advocated …
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Anecdote: RSF Found Dina Koston and her relationship with David Del Tredici

22 May 2023
Dina Koston, founder of the RSF, complained about neo-romantic music. The phrase I remember her using was “warmed-over Schumann”. But that was directed at other names, not at Del Tredici. I was surprised to learn that she programmed the music of …
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The Provenance of Del Tredici's Herrick's Oratorio and Thanks to Father Graeme Napier

22 May 2023
Thanks, Liz Thomson, co-founder and Director of The Village Trip, together with Cliff Pearson, for helping me clarify the provenance of Herrick’s Oratorio. Fr. Graeme Napier, Rector of St. John’s in the Village, hoped to commission a mass …
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21st Century Perspectives -- Amram & Bernstein

1 July 2022
RSF commissioned David Amram to set two poems by his old friend Jack Kerouac, celebrating the Kerouac Centenary, scored for voice and two guitars. Hear them on September 10 at St. John’s in the Village, an opening event for The Village Trip. They …
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Composers Concordance at DROM

23 January 2022
CompCord at Drom Details will be provided shortly. Many details need to be filled in.This was a memorable concert. Please look out for further activities of Composers Concordance. DROM is close enough to the Magic Theater of Steppenwolf. It’s in …
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