I have to admit there are only two things that I know about Mozart, well 3 because I know his date of death. The first is that he wrote the only opera I own, "Le nozze di Figaro". I have the 6 side, 3 Disc record from EMI and I listen to it about once a year, usually on a rainy day. I like this particular box set because it came with a nice booklet as large as a LP with a large easy to read font. It is laid out like a film script and is easy to follow. The Italian version in one column the English translation next to it. Gets a little tricky when there is overlapping characters singing but, after a couple of decades of listening to it and writing notes in the margins I pretty much can follow it. O'k, I'm a slow learner.
The other thing I know about him is that there is a movie about him called Amadaus. Like any movie it probably is more fiction than truth but, nonetheless, I like Tom Hulce as the composer too modern for his times. His music isn't considered serious by the elite of the day and his music and operas only play for the masses in the less important venues, not in the big halls where the rich and the royalty go.
So, while listening to The Flaming Lips "At War With The Mystics" on 180gram vinyl today I started thinking, what would Mozart do? If he was alive today would he be composing acoustic symphony music that stayed in the constraints of 18th century composition styles and be performing at the Hollywood Bowl for people in black ties? Or would he be using modern instruments, and synthetic simulators, layering sound landscapes and beats that can't be pigeoned holed into some Clear Channel music executive's idea of what's the right number of notes? I say the later. He would be playing at venues few people have ever heard of, entertaining the people that don't care what it's called as long as they like it. I think he would have a band like The Flaming Lips and he would be putting out music like At War With The Mystics. Why do I think this, because my best audio friend only likes jazz, female lounge singers like Diana Krall, and classical. Whenever he comes over and I put something on like the Flaming Lips he explodes with expletives about what a bunch of c***p it is, and that's one of my tests for modern music geniuses.
Warning!!! don't listen to track one side three if you are prone to epilectic fits when exposed to strope lights or swirling out of phase music that twists your brain round and round. I love this album. This band has always been a hoot live but, their recorded music pretty much sucked until "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots", IMHO, even if in truth there is nothing humble about me. "At War With The Mystics" is a even more mature recording with fearless experimentation. And, for you audiophiles, an excellent recording where even the smallest background nuances aren't lost in the cacophony of sound. Like Pink Floyd and Roger Water's, it is an excellent case study of why you don't need surround sound music. With todays recording gimmicks and careful system setup you only need two speakers to be immersed in sound.
The other thing I know about him is that there is a movie about him called Amadaus. Like any movie it probably is more fiction than truth but, nonetheless, I like Tom Hulce as the composer too modern for his times. His music isn't considered serious by the elite of the day and his music and operas only play for the masses in the less important venues, not in the big halls where the rich and the royalty go.
So, while listening to The Flaming Lips "At War With The Mystics" on 180gram vinyl today I started thinking, what would Mozart do? If he was alive today would he be composing acoustic symphony music that stayed in the constraints of 18th century composition styles and be performing at the Hollywood Bowl for people in black ties? Or would he be using modern instruments, and synthetic simulators, layering sound landscapes and beats that can't be pigeoned holed into some Clear Channel music executive's idea of what's the right number of notes? I say the later. He would be playing at venues few people have ever heard of, entertaining the people that don't care what it's called as long as they like it. I think he would have a band like The Flaming Lips and he would be putting out music like At War With The Mystics. Why do I think this, because my best audio friend only likes jazz, female lounge singers like Diana Krall, and classical. Whenever he comes over and I put something on like the Flaming Lips he explodes with expletives about what a bunch of c***p it is, and that's one of my tests for modern music geniuses.
Warning!!! don't listen to track one side three if you are prone to epilectic fits when exposed to strope lights or swirling out of phase music that twists your brain round and round. I love this album. This band has always been a hoot live but, their recorded music pretty much sucked until "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots", IMHO, even if in truth there is nothing humble about me. "At War With The Mystics" is a even more mature recording with fearless experimentation. And, for you audiophiles, an excellent recording where even the smallest background nuances aren't lost in the cacophony of sound. Like Pink Floyd and Roger Water's, it is an excellent case study of why you don't need surround sound music. With todays recording gimmicks and careful system setup you only need two speakers to be immersed in sound.
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