> ------------------------- > > MORE THAN JUST WONDERFUL MUSIC: > > SERBIAN COMPOSER DEDICATES > PERFORMANCE PIECE TO MUMIA > > By Brian Becker > New York > > The music of world-renowned Serbian composer Milos > Raickovich was performed in concert here at the Miller > Theatre at Colombia University on Feb. 4, to the delight of > hundreds of enthralled listeners. > > Raickovich's style of music, which he calls "New > Classicism," would have certainly given any audience a lot > to cheer about. But the Feb. 4 concert was more than just > wonderful music. > > The concert ended with a new composition entitled "Alarm." > The composer dedicated it to Mumia Abu-Jamal, the African > American journalist and political prisoner who awaits > execution on Pennsylvania's death row. > > "Alarm" is a highly emotional piece that conjures up the > fiendish sounds of wailing sirens, which became a nightly > commonplace during the 78 days of bombing by the United > States and NATO against the people of Yugoslavia in 1999. > > Raickovich is not only a brilliant composer. He is an > anti-war activist and an internationalist opponent of > racism. > > "`Alarm' is dedicated to Mumia Abu-Jamal," Raickovich > explained in a prepared statement to the audience at > Columbia University. > > Raickovich continued: "In his brilliant text `NATO/U.S. > Out of Yugoslavia!,' written during the bombings, Mumia > courageously wrote from the death row: `NATO is a fig leaf > for American `interests,' and the bombing of Yugoslavia is > but a global demonstration of the ruthlessness of the > American Empire. _ This isn't about `human rights'_ It's > about establishing who will be boss in the next century_ > Empires are maintained not by reason, but by ruthless > terror. It was so in Rome. It is so in the U.S. _ Down with > imperialism! Stop the bombing! U.S./NATO out of Yugoslavia!' > > "To this," Raickovich added, "I say let's liberate the > U.S. political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal." > > In his statement Raickovich explained to the audience that > this haunting anti-war composition was a fitting way to end > the concert. > > "During the bombings, the concert halls and theaters > throughout Yugoslavia were open every day, giving free > performances to the public. At my former workplace, the > Belgrade Opera House, I was told, both the public and the > performers had tearful eyes, as they applauded each other, > against the background noise of the sirens and NATO bombs." > > Raickovich describes his "New Classicism" as a blend of > musical Minimalism and the styles of Viennese Classical and > early Romantic music. Its form is Classical--e.g., the > sonata cycle--but the tonality is reduced to only a few > notes of the scale. > > Raickovich explains that "New Classicism enables me to > express my feelings while at the same time it satisfies my > need for a clear and coherent musical language." > > A compact disk featuring Raickovich's music, performed by > the Moscow Symphony Orchestra and others, is available from > the Mode label, PO Box 1026, New York, New York 10116. > > The Feb. 4 concert featured Tatjana Rankovich on solo > piano and the Andrea Trio: Renee Jolles, violin, Dorothy > Lawson, cello, and Christopher Oldfather, piano. > > - END - > > (Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to > copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but > changing it is not allowed. For more information contact > Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message > to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) > > > > ------------------ > This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Send administrative queries to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
