Friday, July 4, 2008

Taking it easy

I was planning to write some lofty post about the ideals of the United States, how this great experiment is, despite the compromises we've made and the failures we've had, the most noble in the history of man. I believe all that, but I'm barbecuing today, and I'm sure there are more insightful observations than mine to be had, so I'm going to confine myself to one observation.

If you are a music composer, and you want to be sure of being played, write a classical (or quasi-classical) piece about some aspect of America. Based on what we hear most of today on the Chicago classical station, WFMT, pretty much everything with an American theme will be played, no matter how ghastly. Sure, it's a lot of Copland, but it's also a lot of stuff you've never heard of, and wouldn't want to hear. So fire up the quill and get writing your own "American Story" or "American Portrait."

May everyone out there have a wonderful Fourth of July, even if you're not American and it's just another day at work. I'm out.

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