Ah, Telluride, home of the Telluride Bluegrass festival, which this year went by a couple of weeks ago. The place where Bela Fleck, Jerry Douglas and a band of colleagues cooked up the synthesis of jazz and bluegrass
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strength_in_Numbers_%28band%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telluride_Sessions and basically knocked open a whole new genre of music. I love "Lochs of Dread". ...And they were there this year, as the "Telluride House Band" http://www.bluegrass.com/telluride/lineup.html -Pete On Sun, 8 Jul 2012, de Bivort Lawrence wrote: > > Thanks. The town -- a village, really -- is Telluride. > > http://sheridanoperahouse.com/ > > Cheers, > Lawry > > > On Jul 8, 2012, at 11:22 AM, Ray Harrell wrote: > > > Absolutely. Is it Central City? > > > > REH > > > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of de Bivort > > Lawrence > > Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2012 4:34 AM > > To: RE-DESIGNING WORK, INCOME DISTRIBUTION, EDUCATION > > Subject: Re: [Futurework] It all depends upon what you pursue as your > > personal values. One says Gold, the other says Opera. > > > > Hi, Ray, > > > > Many, many thanks for this powerful analysis and poignant evocation of arts > > in America. It helps me understand much about some things that have > > puzzled me. > > > > I will shortly be living full-time in a very small and old mining town that > > still has (revived) a vibrant opera theater. In its heyday, in attracted > > all the great opera performers, which has always delighted but surprised > > me. Now, I understand the phenomenon better. > > > > This small mining town nearly went belly-up when the mines shut down, but > > beginning in the very early 70s revived with an influx form all over the > > country of hippies, libertarians, communards, and intellectuals decided to > > call it home. A robust arts sprung up, and is the foundation for a robust > > political life, and cutting edge economic and technological investigations > > and innovations. Wealth is being used actively to fund the artistic roles > > you describe. > > > > Many thanks. I recognize this as an urgent call for action. > > > > To begin with, may I send this to the person who runs our opera theater > > foundation? > > > > Cheers, > > Lawry > > > > > > On Jul 8, 2012, at 3:32 AM, Ray Harrell wrote: > > > > > > In order to have discursivity in a language, I chose to use the word model > > to describe what the human constructs and to use the word system to > > represent what is "out there" that the human attempts to describe. This is > > still an oversimplified version of things. John Warfield > > > > > > > > by Ray Evans Harrell copyright 2009 > > > > ARTISTIC ASSERTIONS > > > > For Papa John Warfield > > > > If: > > we believe > > we need to return > > to a holistic human potential > > in order to live > > in the Information Economy > > and that it must be based: > > > > > > In the psycho-physical-intellectual > > potentialities of the body, > > and > > in the saliency > > of the environment we create > > that will in turn create us; > > > > > > Then: > > > > > > The processes for > > developing those potentialities > > must be > > the perceptions, (&) > > the aesthetic communication > > of the child. > > > > > > Aesthetic discrimination > > must grow the child's > > physical/intellectual instrument > > through developing and performing the Arts > > that flow from every > > perceptual category. > > > > > > We must provide a central nexus, > > an American Arts Center > > within a Magic Circle of Technique > > that organizes and evolves > > perceptual development > > in each community. > > > > > > > > BASED UPON: > > > > > > PREPARATION > > (instruction and practice) > > > > > > PERFORMANCE > > (audience dialogue) > > > > > > REFLECTION > > (critical judgment) > > > > > > TEACHING > > (sharing the knowledge with another student) > > > > > > > > > > A MAGIC CIRCLE AMERICAN ARTS CENTER > > should do these things: > > > > > > Perform for and exhibit in the community. > > Educate artists and amateurs. > > Develop new works in all mediums. > > Manage business strategy for innovation > > and capital for future work. > > Network in the community > > in all cultural areas > > for community and individual growth > > and community prosperity. > > Network regionally > > and nationally > > for economic efficiency. > > > > > > > > > > > > "IS THERE AN ARTISTIC PRECEDENT > > FOR SUCH A CENTER?" > > > > > > > > > > > > In the baroque era > > it was the medium > > of "opera" > > an Italian term from > > "service" > > that created such > > an *Artistic University. > > > > > > > > > > "WHY IS OPERA > > THE BEST EQUIPPED > > TO HANDLE > > THIS ARTISTIC PROJECT?" > > > > > > > > > > "IS NOT THIS ELITIST MEDIUM > > THE PROPERTY OF THE ENTITLED, > > AND THE SYMBOL OF > > MONETARY FRIVOLITY > > AND ECONOMIC SQUANDERING?" > > > > > > > > Not Historically. > > > > > > Such a story is an invention > > of an American economic class, > > having little of significance > > to do with Artistic History > > or International Culture. > > > > > > > > > > "IF OPERA ISN'T AN ELITIST MEDIUM, THEN WHAT IS IT?" > > > > > > > > > > It is the medium > > that joins > > all of the arts > > in a work of theater. > > > > > > > > It is a "work" > > ("opera", Italian word with roots in "service") > > that involves the elements > > of all artistic mediums > > in creative ways > > for the purpose of > > community growth, > > fulfillment > > and pleasure. > > > > > > It involves all of the principles of the elements of: > > > > > > Music > > Literature > > Drama > > Singing > > Social and Artistic Dance > > Improvisation > > Physical and Musical Ensemble > > Circus > > Painting and Sculpture > > Architecture > > Lighting design > > Audience Response > > Company business > > Individual and Company discipline > > > > > > In all of the linguistic > > > > modes of society > > from the Polite > > to the Familiar > > to the Vulgar, > > the fertilizer > > from which > > springs all > > creativity. > > > > > > > > > > > > "WHY HASN'T > > AMERICA DEVELOPED > > A MAGIC CIRCLE AMERICAN ARTS CENTER > > BEFORE NOW?" > > > > > > > > > > Actually there were an estimated > > > > 44,000 > > > > Opera Centers across America > > before the Market boom-bust cycle > > facilitated the crash > > of those centers in 1929. > > > > > > American business's response > > was not to renew live performance > > with it's requisite development > > of community and individual excellence. > > > > Instead they used the catastrophe to promote > > an economically productive mass entertainment > > through cheap technology, > > sold as "up to date" and "progressive." > > In actuality the assumption of "better" > > was a killer assumption > > that killed America's developmental Arts > > for the average American. > > > > Electrical amplification technology > > provided the "coup de grace" > > by making virtuosic technical development > > in singing and acting superfluous. > > > > What arose was a new "naturalism" > > evolved with a more casual and contracted energy > > that reduced the generosity of both movement and sound > > and ultimately the generosity of spirit. > > > > American Art became trapped > > > > in a frame that neither grew > > > > nor resonated, > > > > nor filled the theater's circle of attention. > > > > Resonance, > > > > the glory of the Opera House, > > > > became "harsh" to the new ears, > > > > "forced", "aggressive" and "unreal." > > > > Vocal Technique became "unnatural." > > > > > > > > > > The lost focus of America's energy in the Arts > > gave birth to a sociological alienation > > > > from the development of their psyches, > > > > their bodies and > > > > their spirits, > > > > > > > > The resultant desensitization > > and impotence of the human body > > aligned with aggression and allowed > > > > only a "competitive situation" > > > > a fight or an orgy. > > > > > > As was said in Oklahoma: > > "It's either hug 'um and kiss 'um > > or > > "Shoot 'um and kill 'um." > > And still is today. > > > > It was the marketplace model > > with it's ritual combat and invisible hand, > > or actual warfare to prove one's self in battle. > > > > Create a product and destroy it > > > > thus creating the need immediately > > > > for another product. > > > > > > Thus was the 20th century born > > and in 1914 it began with a > > War to end all Wars. > > > > > > High personal ebullient energies > > that before were considered friendly, > > were replaced > > with "cooling out". > > > > "Coolness under fire." > > > > > > > > A lack of feeling, empathy and sensitivity > > > > to the three Fires > > > > of growth, > > > > of harmony, > > > > of balance and acceptance, > > > > was controlled by > > > > > > "chilling." > > > > > > > > > > "Coolness" > > > > became a > > frigid, tight, contracted experience > > in American Art and then in society. > > > > Both Art and Society were > > > > encased in a ritual casualness > > > > as rigid as any pomp and majesty > > > > but with less personal power. > > > > > > > > Vulnerability, insecurity > > > > and > > > > a vague unknowable fear > > > > became the sensitive tools > > > > of both actor and lover. > > > > > > 1929 > > > > saw the ancient taste for > > > > technical mastery, ritual process, > > > > quality of life and equal entitlement > > relegated to the elite economic class > > in an increasingly stratified society. > > > > > > > > "BUT WHY HAVE I NEVER HEARD OF THESE > > AMERICAN OPERA CENTERS > > BEFORE NOW?" > > > > > > Because they were not called Opera Centers > > at the time, they were called > > "Opera Houses" and were locally run > > with only a few networks. > > > > > > Multi-use Houses were considered illegitimate, > > since they didn't follow the "High Art" model > > propagated by the new > > > > American Industrial Aristocracy. > > > > > > "BUT DID THESE OPERA HOUSES > > REALLY PERFORM OPERA > > AND IF SO HOW DOES THAT COMPARE > > TO THE PRESENT?" > > > > > > Today > > America has > > 119* > > Professional Opera Companies > > > > (*Opera America). > > > > Today > > 22% of America's > > Professional opera houses have > > 6 or less performances a year > > > > > > Today > > 43% of American > > Professional opera houses > > have less than 15 performances a year. > > > > Per Capita > > they perform > > 18.8 performances > > per year. > > > > The per capita income > > for all opera personnel is $22,893 > > less by $17,000 than an average > > New York Church organist and > > $47,102 less than a starting > > Cantorial salary > > > > in a New York Synagogue. > > > > > > 1900 > > > > Of the estimated 44,000 > > Opera Houses in America > > many had seasons longer > > than America's major houses today. > > > > > > If each Opera house in 1900 > > performed one opera a year > > they would have performed > > 44,000 operas a year. > > > > > > If the ratios are the same > > in number of performances > > from 1900 vs. 2006 > > and the 44,000 > > had per capita performances of 18.8 > > (like 2006) > > then there were 827,200 > > operatic performances in 1900 in the US. > > > > > > The population of America > > in 1900 > > was 76,212,168. > > Less that one third of today's population. > > > > > > With a minimum cast of twenty > > and probably double that, > > and less than a third of today's customers > > there were sixteen and a half million jobs > > for musical artists in 1900. > > > > > > Of course it was much more > > in the America at the end > > of the Frontier days and > > the beginning of modern society. > > > > The best of > > > > "American" operatic culture today > > is the Metropolitan Opera > > with 11 Italian operas, > > 3 French, > > 9 German, > > 3 Russian, > > 1 Czeck, > > 1 English translated Czeck Opera > > No American Music. > > > > In New York City there is one major orchestra > > > > and two opera house orchestras. > > > > In London there are ten times as many > > > > major orchestras as in New York. > > > > > > > > In Germany, after World War II > > > > (to defeat the Russians in the Cold War,) > > > > the American OSS and CIA > > > > funded the current orchestras, opera houses > > > > and a major contemporary music festival. > > > > > > > > At the same time in America > > > > There was no National public funding at all > > > > for complex culture > > > > or virtuosic Art. > > > > Today > > > > > > > > "Opera America" > > (the professional opera association) > > lists 166 composers > > with works in progress in America. > > > > > > > > > > Where will these wonderful > > composers speaking > > for the soul of America > > be heard? > > > > > > > > In China > > (a non-western culture) > > the government supports > > with salaries and education > > 100 composers > > chosen from all of china > > the best are performed > > at > > the Metropolitan Opera > > > > > > This year > > > > > > > > America's major vocal composer > > > > Ned Rorem > > > > will debut his new opera "Our Town" > > in New York City > > > > At a school sung by students. > > > > > > > > While across the plaza are > > > > new works funded by > > > > The People's Republic of China > > > > and > > > > Old works sung in Russian > > > > by the artists trained and developed > > > > in the Soviet Union. > > > > > > The Arts have recently led the way > > > > in downsizing, outsourcing > > > > and the hiring of recent immigrants. > > > > But it was not always that way. > > > > > > > > World War II > > > > Was a bonanza for American Art > > > > and produced a whole generation > > > > of great American Artists > > > > because the foreign artists were > > > > not available. > > > > > > > > After the catastrophe of 1929 > > > > only the horror of World War II > > > > and the death camps > > > > kept America away from their > > > > foreign artists. > > > > But it was not always that way. > > > > . > > > > . > > > > . > > > > In 1900 there were 1,300 opera houses > > > > in the farm state of Iowa. > > > > > > > > "BUT HOW DID WE ACHIEVE THIS EARLY ARTISTIC SOCIETY?" > > (Charles Ives called it an "artistic paradise".) > > > > > > It came > > with the cultural sophistication > > of the immigrant peasants > > of the Aristocracy in Europe and > > the strong psycho-physical > > tendencies of American Indians. > > > > > > The Aristocrats > > valued > > educated > > servants. > > > > > > The same was true > > of the house slaves > > in Louisiana > > who had a place > > at the Opera > > for them to sit. > > > > > > They were the servants > > who were public > > and > > represented their owners > > and employers. > > > > > > Just because the peasants > > were tailors and workmen > > does not mean > > that they weren't knowledgeable > > about the theater, opera, literature > > and the latest technology. > > > > > > American Indians were > > trained in the perceptual arts > > from birth > > as a matter of spirituality. > > They created Art like they breathed. > > > > > > > > The first American Indian > > > > to sing at the Metropolitan Opera > > > > was > > > > in the 1920s. > > > > > > Indians, peasants and slaves > > were the workers > > and workers > > are always smarter > > than they are given credit. > > > > > > At least they were > > until American society > > evolved into the 20th century, > > the century of death. > > > > > > In the 1860s > > miners in Colorado revolted > > when cheated out of a portion > > of La Sonnambula they threatened > > to shoot the producers. > > > > > > But it was to be the overly intellectual > > visually dominant > > literacy bound and > > technologically addicted > > who were the winners > > in the battle for the 20th century > > > > > > Hundreds of millions of people > > died in the modern world > > of the 20th century, > > without shame and > > with little notice. > > > > > > Bodies flowed > > in the rivers of the world > > like logs, > > gathering in the foam > > at the bottoms of water falls > > in a grotesque naturalness. > > > > > > Between 1940 and 45, > > 90 million people died > > in the flowering of the new > > entitlement on the death > > of the Aristocracy. > > > > > > Ten years later in Oklahoma, > > in the backwater > > parts of America, > > the roughnecks and miners > > still maintained the old > > dream of Truth and Beauty > > lost in the cold new world > > of endless war. > > > > > > That was the tradition > > that I learned as a child. > > > > In the Quapaw Nation > > My Master's teacher > > trained at Juilliard at the feet of > > Leopold Godowsky, > > Ernest Hutcheson and > > Karl Friedberg. > > > > > > > > Ray Evans Harrell 2005 rev. 2009 > > > > *Artistic University: A termed coined, by Johann Mattheson, the Baroque > > composer/theorition and teacher of Handel, as a description of the new > > "Operatic Form" that came from the Florentine group that gave us Opera, > > Astronomy and modern Acoustics > > > > REH > > _______________________________________________ > > Futurework mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Futurework mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework > > _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
