By: Brad Richter
Each year at the end of the September to May touring and concert season, as my schedule eases up, I like to write “Thank You” notes to concert presenters and other colleagues who I’ve worked with or who have helped me or inspired me in some way. Of course, there are occasionally those to whom I’d like to write a very different kind of note. A special note for colleagues who broke a contract, made a gig or tour unnecessarily difficult or brushed me off in some way – a “F*@K You” note if you will.
Until now, I’ve wanted to, but would not have seriously considered writing such a note, but there was a particular comment on one of my YouTube videos, which was by no means horrible or damaging but it annoyed me to such a degree that I have decided to write my first ever end of the concert season…well, you know…letter.
Not only because it seems deserved, but also because I thought it might be cathartic and even fun to share it with you. Especially since the person in question had no problem sharing his comment about my music with the public at large.
The person in question is Paul Bowman, a guitarist who I was aware of when we both lived in Chicago in the ‘90s. We actually met a couple of times, including in the context of me taking over a small teaching position from him in 1994 when he moved to Germany to follow his wife, who I understood was a world class opera singer.
Mr. Bowman, certainly at that time, had an excellent reputation as a player of 20th century classical music, and I wished him nothing but the best. I have to assume he doesn’t remember our meeting or he would have (hopefully) taken a different tact when he commented on my video Starry Night on the Beach (with Federales).
His comment was this, along with the “offending” video (it was removed from YouTube and I can’t seem to get it back, but I have it saved in my account and here is the word for word transcription for you to read):
“Oi vey
I hate this new age stuff
but I guess there’s room for everyone in God’s choir.”
Like I said it’s not a horrible thing to write, and perhaps not even unjustified, but it’s absolutely seething with elitism and a bit rude considering we were acquainted. I would have welcomed and perhaps even learned something from his comments had he had something constructive to say or write in private, but since he chose this route instead…
******
Dear Paul,
Thanks for your insightful comment on my YouTube video Starry Night on the Beach (with Federales). I am sorry I did not have time to respond at the time you wrote it but there are a few things I’d like to write in response now. Let me begin by breaking down your comment line by line:
Oi vey
Nice. Just five letters into your comment and already you sound condescending. That’s an admirably efficient use of space.
I hate this new age stuff
OK. Now you’ve dismissed an entire genre of music but, if you think this is New Age music you apparently haven’t actually listened to new age music. Fred Child of NPR’s Performance Today dubbed my style “percussive fingerstyle guitar,” which seems more accurate.
I would add that it borrows elements from both classical and world or folk music. In defense of new age music though, my all time favorite guitarist and arguably one of the most influential guitarists of the 20th century, Michael Hedges, was also considered “new age,” perhaps for lack of a more accurate category for him.
I can honestly say that there isn’t a genre of music that doesn’t have at least one song that moves me to my core. Few among us have the conceit to listen to a song from a particular genre and dismiss it based entirely on the fact that it is of that genre – mis-categorized or not. That makes no sense. You could have just as easily listened to a Willie Nelson song and dismissed it for being too country or having too much of a tonal center.
I find this attitude particularly ironic coming from someone who plays music from a sub-genre of classical that requires a great deal of open mindedness on the part of the average listener to approach. That is precisely the kind of elitist attitude that is killing classical music.
As we’re hanging on to our orchestras and opera houses for dear life, it’s our duty to invite new audiences rather than repel them. My music may not be scholastically significant, but it is certainly a style that bridges the way to serious music by borrowing from both popular and classical – precisely the kind of music that draws the uninitiated to classical guitar.
What was the first piece you heard that turned you onto classical guitar Paul? Though they are responsible for some of the great masterworks of the 20th c., I’m guessing it wasn’t Boulez, Carter, Henze or Schoenberg but more likely Villa Lobos, Tarrega or Barrios and the like that first caught your ear too.
I don’t wish to compare myself to those legendary guitar composers of the late 19th and early 20th century in terms of quality but this particular piece is certainly comparable to the music of Villa Lobos, Tarrega, Barrios et. al. in terms of rhythmic complexity, modulation, form and character. Would you dismiss their music in the same way for the same reason?
Would you argue that because their music was written with these parameters 70 to 130 years ago that it is no longer legitimate to write in this way? Even if we all were to agree that it’s no longer relevant to write music in this style, I think I can objectively assert that there are techniques, and textures in the piece in question that are forward looking and new.
I have tremendous respect for those who specialize in 20th century, non-tonal classical music as you do. It can be extraordinarily challenging to play and I hope everyone undertaking the serious study of classical guitar spends some time developing those chops.
As a composition student at the Royal College of Music and the Chicago College of the Arts I studied and adored 20th century music and indeed I’ve written volumes of music that are much more adventurous in tonal language and meter than those on my YouTube channel. I play those pieces in concert less than I might like because many audiences I play for have a harder time relating to those compositions.
I do this because, in my opinion, music is about communicating and sharing with an audience. Their role in a performance can be as important as mine. If I ignore the audiences input and reaction then I’m not doing my job as a performer.
but I guess there’s room for everyone in God’s choir.
It’s generous of you to allow me a spot in Gods’ choir and impressive that you and God are tight enough that you’ve been charged with doling out the invitations to his choir. However, if God’s choir is full of the sort of snobbery you are offering up I think I’d rather give Satan’s rock band a chance. Perhaps I can even meet Nicolo Paganini there.
You may be thinking at this point that I have grossly over-reacted to your comment and you may well be right. You, unfortunately, are receiving the brunt of my reaction against an attitude that prevailed in the scholastic music world when I was a composition student – an attitude that has always frustrated and bewildered me but as a student I didn’t have the confidence to say anything about. I can summarize this attitude with two entertaining quotes that are engraved in my memory from my time at The Chicago College of Performing Arts:
“It’s not music until it’s written down”
Rarely has a phrase come with so much irony built right in, but my composition teacher from CCPA actually said that to me when I presented him with one of my first serious classical guitar compositions: “Dance of the Harvest Fires” (which at that time was only partially written down). In one ill-conceived sentence he dismissed 99% of the world’s music and I knew from that point forward he had little to offer me as a teacher.
That teacher will go unnamed as I suspect he may no longer be with us to defend himself. This was also a man who had no interest in helping me develop my voice but rather required me to write one piece after another using serialism, his style (a style which even at that time had run its course for the most part), which I did with diligence and interest for most of my studies.
As if to emphasize his complete lack of interest in my music he spent the majority of my lessons watching the clock that sat between us on the piano and managed always to end our lesson as the second hand approached the top of the hour.
“He used a major chord! Ha Ha Ha Ha…”
That was the reaction I got from that same teacher’s minions in our composition seminar – the workshop in which we each presented our work to our peers for comment – and yes, they actually laughed in my face. Apparently, they felt, as our teacher had instructed them to feel, that major and minor chords were to be avoided at all cost because they were too consonant. To me that was like telling a painter that it was no longer okay to use the color blue. As a composer I had no interest in throwing any tools out of my tool box, especially as a student.
Luckily I went on to study, if far too briefly, with two amazing composition teachers: Timothy Salter at the Royal College of Music and Patricia Morehead in Chicago. I believe you, Paul, have frequently collaborated with the latter in the contemporary music group Cube. I’m sure you know Patricia better than I do but I can guarantee you she would not have been so dismissive.
Patricia was a godsend to me. She listened to my music and helped me develop in a direction that inspired me. Though she wrote primarily atonal music at that time she had no problem helping me improve my tonal more conservative style and with her help I wrote two or three of my best and most successful compositions.
Naturally, after reading your comment, I went to check out your YouTube video to see what was on offer but I’ll refrain from commenting on your video at this point. Given that I was both offended and amused by your words, my opinion of your work in this case would be highly subjective. Your choice of music and your playing style do say quite a lot about your perspective and I would like to invite the readers of Guitar International to view both my video and yours to form their own opinions about the issues at hand.
Your comment probably didn’t deserve this lengthy and involved of a response but I’ll feel it was worth it if it encourages you to think twice before you write another flippant and rude comment about a professional colleague’s music on line for all to see. I invite and look forward to your response.
Ahhhh, that feels better! Maybe I’ll make this an annual tradition too.
Sincerely,
Brad Richter
******
Since completing his studies at the Royal College of Music in London in 1994 Brad Richter has performed around the globe as a soloist, and in duos with artists such as nine-time Grammy winner David Finckel. Brad’s concerts and those of The Richter Uzur Duo (with cellist Viktor Uzur) are featured regularly on NPR’s Performance Today. Festival appearances include The World Youth Guitar Festival, The London International Guitar Festival, The Aspen Music Festival, and the Walnut Valley Festival, where he won the National Finger-picking Championship. In addition to his collections of concert music and recordings for solo guitar (published by Mel Bay, Acoustic Music Records and GSP), Brad is an avid composer and performer of chamber music. He is a winner of the International Composer’s Guild Competition, he wrote and performed a score for the PBS television series, The Desert Speaks and String Theory, The Richter Uzur Duo’s new CD of original music and arrangements, was recently named ‘Best New Release’ by the nationally syndicated radio program Classical Guitar Alive. At home in Tucson, Brad serves as co-founder and Executive Director of Lead Guitar, a not for-for-profit that provides classical guitar lessons and classes for 1,000 at-risk youth every year.
Arlene R. Weiss (12 years ago)
Brad! Bravo to you! As a music & arts journalist who has also been on the receiving end of the same tone of “comments” that amount to nothing more than the cowardly, rude, elitist fare that you encountered here, I applaud you for standing up for your artistry and your self, and to diplomatically stand up to a poseur with way too much time on their hands.
Brad Richter (12 years ago)
Thanks for your comment and your support Arlene. I hope next time you get a comment like that you’ll have a chance to do the same. I have to admit I had fun writing that!
Best,
Brad
Guitar International Magazine (12 years ago)
the online world can be harsh, and a lot of people say things that they wouldn’t say in person thinking that no one will care, but sometimes people do care, unfortunately for people like Mr. Bowman who got an earful back from Mr. Richter, our actions have consequences online or in real life.
Curtis D. Tucker (12 years ago)
I’m not sure what Mr. Bowman was playing in his video but it was neither entertaining nor inspiring. Classical music is much like classical painting, it’s considered good because some old critic says it’s good. Whether it is pleasing to the eye or the ear seems to be of no consequence.
Musicians and artists that take risks and expand the possibilities of new music and art, like the masters did in their day, are the new masters of today. Musicians like Brad and Michael Hedges are expanding the realm of classical music to entertain new generations while still holding on to the techniques and value of the past.
If music is composed and performed to entertain we must give this battle to Mr. Richter.
Marc (12 years ago)
Paul, I actually applaud you for pushing new music forward. It is important that all of us open ourselves to musical tastes of all kind. What I find puzzling is your elitist attitude toward other musicians, especially confusing because as an advocate of new music, I would have expected you to have an open mind. Perhaps, you ought look in the mirror and see your membership card in the human race. You might ask yourself why you have a need to put others down, why you believe your musical values are so relevant that you need to show the world how expert you claim to be.
Debbie (12 years ago)
Brad, I am glad you stood up for yourself and for musicians around the globe. Mr. Bowman, I am not quite sure why you believe your artistic values are better than everyone’s tastes. Perhaps, you could explain. It is one thing to tasteful make a quiet comment about another artist’s work. Mr. Bowman you clearly had other goals in mind when you decided to make such a mean spirit comment in front of all.
A Thoughtful Reader (12 years ago)
Mr. Bowman, there is no place for your superior view of your musical tastes. Luckily, members of the world’s musical audience will remember who you are.
Paul Bowman (12 years ago)
Gee Brad, I didn’t know that comment stuck in your crawl for so long. I had the Berio Sequenza XI on youtube for a while, and received numerous negative comments and sometimes I’d respond, but more often than not, did not. I still say your music is light fluffy-fare, and all you have to do is go to my website (http://www.paul-classicalguitarist.com) to hear repertoire by the giants of new music like Elliott Carter, Luciano Berio, Charles Wuorinen et.al. However, since music is entirely a subjective experience, I am sure the Richter-Grizzlies out there will still enjoy your music and detest what I’ve recorded – that’s OK – as I said, we all have a place in God’s choir. Now if you want this argument to persist, I’ll line up some composers and proponents of new music and then we’ll really analyze your compostions.
Paul Bowman (12 years ago)
Oh I forgot to mention this earlier: those who would like to find out more about my guitar and music stances, please read the excellent interview by the Italian Contemporary Guitar Blog, which is here:
http://contemporaryguitarsblog.blogspot.com/search?q=Paul+Bowman
marc (12 years ago)
Paul, you miss the entire point and your response certainly tells the tail of what an elitist jerk you are. The point is that every one is entitled to a point of view, musical taste vary and we should all be respectful of others. But, I guess you feel the need to be right. I happen to love new music including some of your recordings. This discussion is not about what music has more merit, it is about fundamental respect to others. Let’s line up some composers and proponents of new music and humanity. Let’s ask them if they believe their opinions are more important than others. I would be happy to ask them to analyze other compositions. Then, let’s ask them to analyze you and your comments; your need to put other people down speaks to your basic insecurities of who you are and your angry for those who have different values. I truly feel bad for you, Paul, this discussion illustrates to the world who you really are. You are not a nice compassionate person. The composer you mention share another common characteristic, they respect the beauty of music and of life. Perhaps, you might take a lesson from them and look at your angry image in the mirror. You are a sad case.
Former Fan of Paul's (12 years ago)
Wow, I actually like new music and I have been a fan of your music Paul. Hard to be a fan of some one who treats others so poorly. Paul, you are a wonderful musician, but you are so mean. Hard to be a fan of some on with so much hate inside.
Casual Observer (12 years ago)
Paul, sounds like you don’t get it. This is not about which category of music is better. This conversation is about being respectful and kind to other people who may have different points of view. Sounds like you have a great need to “right” (what ever that means) than to be open to other ideas and to be kind to your fellow musicians and members of your audience. I feel sorry for you, you are a sad case.
Lover of New Music (12 years ago)
Paul, It is kind of odd that you obvious are an advocate of new music, I respect you for moving things forward. But I guess you also feel like you are the only one with the “appropriate taste” to move things forward. Do you feel more important and more expert than the rest of us?
Listening in Disbelief (12 years ago)
Hey Paul, You might want to reread all these comments, man, it is not about music. It is about you, why do you need to put other down. Is this how you treat your friends, your audience. Paul, lighten up, you need to get rid of all your angry feelings.
Paul Bowman (12 years ago)
Can we get touchy feely here? OK, I disrespected Brad’s music. There, I admit it. Now, if you want to be accepting of other’s viewpoints and music, then I would say let’s put it all on a level playing field. Lady Gaga is as valuable as Stravinsky; Beastie Boys is the same level as the Beatles. Yanni is as good as Maurizio Pollini. Why go to school to improve one’ s self? Let’s not study what others did before us, because I am the ME generation, I have American Idol, I have even a Van Cliborn Piano Competition for Amateurs that is even more popular than the real Van Cliborn Competition! Why should we even care which wine is better – Boone’s Farm is as good as the best French wines. Let’s not strive for exceptionalism, and not call out the ones that are not.
Then go ahead and give me the new-age dosage of, “man Paul, you’re really angry, this must be how you treat your friends, etc.” Don’t project your analysis of my emotional state! And isn’t it funny, as the anti-intelectualism argument pops in there, I am reminded of the fucked up political landscape we are in. There used to be a time when experts were looked up to. But I guess you guys can do it all just as well as everyone else. Let’s all just put everything on a level playing field, we’re all equal. Good, I’ll stop practicing tomorrow.
Paul Bowman (12 years ago)
Good, then Mr. Guitar International, you should give me a chance to respond to Brad’s open letter, and let me write to respond and have it published. You would be doing this argument a great service, while I’ll answer Mr. Richter’s points and bring up many of my own, with respect of course. I await your reply.
Guitar International Magazine (12 years ago)
Paul, I believe that Brad sent you a link to this article with contact info for our editor and an invitation to reply if you wished. We are glad to publish your reply as long as it meets our editorial standards. If you can’t find that email please contact us using this form and we will take it from there. Thanks
http://guitarinternational.com/contact/
marc (12 years ago)
Paul, You make many valuable points, why don’t you write us a letter. I would most appreciate it if you could help us understand why you believe you need to express your opinion, in a public way, in a disrespectful and mean spirited fashion. I would like to understand why you believe you can’t express an opinion in a way that does not put down others. Constructive and well thought out criticism is valuable, please help us understand why you feel you don’t need to make constructive criticism, but you believe it is more constructive to put others down. I hope you do take the time to write a letter and answer these questions so we can better your point of view.
Paul Bowman (12 years ago)
OK, I will need some time as I am buying some of Brad’s scores to have a closer look at his composing style. I will have lots of fun with this.
Brad Richter (12 years ago)
Paul:
You would have been better served to start by writing a more elegantly formed reply as I invited you to do last month. So far your comments have only strengthened the points I made in my letter, none of which you have actually addressed. No one is making an anti-intellectualism argument, certainly not me in my letter. You are confusing that with the argument that you, Paul, or anyone else does not have the exclusive right to determine what is and is not intellectual. It is a matter for discussion not dictation. It is ironic that you brought up the political point that the American political landscape is being trampled with anti-intellectualism. You’re right – it is. The other problem with politics however is that politicians spend their time putting their hands over their ears and screaming their opinion louder once faced with an opposing view rather than actually listening.
You are assuming in your comments that you are better educated and better qualified to express an opinion than anyone who has commented without even knowing who they are. That’s a slippery slope. I strongly agree with the point that you are trying to make, that criticism is essential to art, but what confounds all of us is why someone who clearly considers themselves among the guitar elite would choose the youtube comment box to offer criticism. Youtube comments seem to me to be reserved for fans and friends of the poster, in cases such as this when a video is anything but ‘viral’, and outside of that are the realm of teenagers surfing the internet when their parents aren’t watching. What you did, Mr. Intellect, is the intellectual equivalent of egging someone’s house. I can’t imagine any other serious musician using that as a forum for criticism. In your comments now you’ve taken it a step farther. You listened to a single piece, one written with tongue firmly planted in cheek, and extrapolated from that that my entire catalogue of hundreds of pieces for guitar and guitar ensemble is ‘light, fluffy fare’. So you have bought some scores and will now undertake a more thorough criticism of my music. Were you able to approach them with an open mind you might find pieces written in a style that suits your taste but I doubt that will be the case. I doubt also that you will treat me or anyone else ‘with respect’ as until now you have mustered respect for no one other than yourself. You hate my music. That is well established. Try sticking to the point. I eagerly await your reply. In the mean time, I’ll be drinking a beer with the money you just spent on my scores. Cheers!
Paul Bowman (12 years ago)
I think yotube videos are open to all points of view – as I said before, I too have been both praised and slammed when i had some up.
True, I have based my comment on listening to your one piece. As I said, it’s my opinion that that piece is indeed light fluffy new-age music – if categories can somehow apply, which is difficult, but we all do it. In the meantime, please do enjoy your beer as I will spread my wealth around and buy a few of your scores. Want to suggest something? There may be redeeming qualities after all, and then I will again state as such.
Brad Richter (12 years ago)
Thanks Paul:
It might be that beer clouding my judgment but I appreciate the change in tone in your comment above and it sounds like you mean it when you say you intend to give some of my compositions a fair trial. I would gladly send them to you directly but I’m traveling and don’t have many scores with me. Of the published scores, ‘Angular Tango’ and ‘Jumping Cholla’ (the first movement of A Whisper in the Desert) from the Mel Bay ‘Brad Richter Solo Collection’ are more adventurous harmonically and rhythmically and ‘Three Little Nightmares’ (same collection) are for prepared guitar but are also meant to be funny rather than serious. From the GSP publications you might look at ‘Four Native Tales’ which are conservative harmonically but have some rhythmic interest or ‘Eight Preludes’ which are written in a variety of styles including serial and atonal. Many of my newer and most of my ensemble compositions are not yet published but I have some scores and MP3s on my laptop that I’ll send to your UCSD email address.
All that being said, you should check with the editors of GI before undertaking a long critique of my music – whether it turns out to be positive or negative – as my sense is that they are interested in a discussion centered on the points that my original letter addressed – such as, did I have the right to respond to your youtube comment in this way, is youtube an appropriate forum for that sort of criticism, what was the intention of the original criticism and was it appropriately or respectfully worded, is there a gap between ‘fine art’ music written and appreciated in academic circles and that which the concert going public is supporting and if so is that gap widening or shrinking, is there an anti-tonal music sentiment in academia and if so is that sentiment justified and so on. Given what you have already said about my music and that my letter and the comments that followed would likely have only made you more eager to find flaws in it your critique would likely not be seen as objective even though it may well be. As I said in my letter, that is why I refrained from critiquing your playing – lack of objectivity – even though I went out of my way to be respectful in that regard. I’ll leave that up to you and GI but thought it was only fair to give a warning before you spent a lot of time on this.
Thanks.
marc (12 years ago)
Paul and Brad, While it seems like you may actually be having a respectful conversation, which is the point of this entire exchange (Paul, this is not about the music, it is about why you feel you know more than ever one else and making your opinion, you put down the rest of us), I would urge you to consider the audience. In my values, a key part of music is its ability to communicate, to both the academic expert as well as the common man. Music is able to live in the market place that consumes it. Yes, composers and performers should push the ears and values of their audience. I am a supporter of New Music and I believe this is important to advance the art. But, when composers and performers disregard the audience, this insults the audience. The comparison to the American Political System is interesting, one man or women and one vote. If you both seek to advance the art, to push the music into new spheres of creativity, I would urge to find a way to draw the audience in. Playing for a small bunch of academic “experts” is well, just that.
Brad Richter (12 years ago)
Thanks for your perspective Marc. I agree whole-heartedly and that is a guiding principle in much of the music I write (communicating with the audience that is) though I don’t always succeed.
Casual observer (12 years ago)
And there you have it folks, we have witnessed the end of the duel. On one side, the alleged composer of music that did not fit the taste of one man who felt compelled to tell the world he did not like it. What remains unknown is why he was so compelled, does he actually believe his opinions are better than others or is he projecting some other frustration onto his opponent? Is this a psychologist willing to weigh in. On the other side, is the self proclaimed expert of musical tastes, the man who believe his opinion is better than the rest of us. In between these two, are some independent observers who cast their votes. The verdict is…… well, Paul, you might read the entire exchange. In your efforts to defend your need to be smarter than the rest of us, you only confirm what is being said about you. Wow, you dug your own hole and digger deeper and deeper. Feel sorry for you, Paul, let’s us know if you need hand out.