I never did see Heracles, but I went to several dress rehearsals for Danton & Robespierre, and worked on the stage crew for The Cry of Clytymnestra, the vehicle that Eaton had written for his wife, Nelda Nelson. Some intriguing theatrics, and a lot of music that that engendered a lot of references to naked emperors while failing to live up to it's composer's programmatic claims. (I am unapologetically a major believer in letting music speak for itself rather than telling audiences how they are supposed to feel about it.)
And from all the IU composition faculty at the time (late '70's), Bernhard Heiden was the only one with a memorable sense of humor, flying in the face of stereotypes about age and nationality. I'll never forget how, on the first day of counterpoint class, he remarked that "sequences are the Hamburger Helper of modern music," how later on he told one student "you did this [assignment] like you did your income tax--you tried to get away with as much as possible," and also, at a composers' symposium à propos of the premiere of Eaton's "Danton & Robespierre," how "writing an opera [as opposed to chamber music and other small-scale projects] is the sprit of Evel Knievel" [sp?]. Aaron J. Rabushka [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://users.waymark.net/arabushk ----- Original Message ----- From: "Williams, Jim" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 9:58 PM Subject: RE: [Finale] OT: Composers! (Was: music terminology) >>John Eaton was an excellent composition teacher. His student's compositional styles ranged from conservative to very experimental, and most benefited and enjoyed their time working with him. His own music is challenging to both performers and audience to be sure, but his fans, and I consider myself one of them, are not just faking it. I was part of an opera summer stage crew that destroyed most of the sets for HERACLES. Also on that crew were a number of vocalists, some of whom evidently participated in it or knew others who did. I NEVER saw people wield hammers, axes, crowbars, and saws with such gusto! Not making any comment about Eaton...just recalling and reporting a funny experience for this non-singing brass player. ;-) Jim _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
