Go to any online music site, and
you'll still find New Age listed as an active genre. But, radio
airplay is tough to find. Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (1973),
may have started that old ball rolling, by taming otherwise harsh
electronic sounds, and making them relaxing. At the time,
synthesizers were mainly heard in Rock and Pop groups like Styx, ELO
and Kraftwerk.
In the 80's and 90's, the line between New Age and
Smooth Jazz was nearly invisible.
Soft
synth sounds became a staple in catchy intros, and background beds for
many jazz artists, like Benoit, Kenny G, and Grusin. But,
Jazz eventually survived the airwaves, while New Age faded.
I still remember the look on David Benoit's face. It
was an outdoor concert. He
took a break between cuts from his (then) new fusion CD Every Step of the Way, to
tell the audience about his next project. "...and it's going to have a very
classical feel," he said. With that, the house erupted with applause. Benoit
was obviously stunned. What was probably supposed to be a time-killer for the band
to catch a breath, became a mandate from the wide-eyed, chardonnay crowd.
The
craving for a melody you'll still remember "the morning after" seems to grow
stronger with time. One thing Classical composers did well, was to take a simple theme,
and develop the hell out of it for 8-12 minutes.
Don't
get me wrong, 20-minutes of Mahler is the recommended antidote for two double-espressos.
But, we baby-boomers need to hear at least some semblance of the 20th Century in our
music, just to stay awake.
So,
NOW what?
Why go back? Why exhume styles from centuries past, and resurrect them in
another millenium?
The orchestra, as we know it, is biological. You can feel a
good strong bass in your chest, while other instruments trigger different hormonal responses:
Strings are magical by birth. Woodwinds are genetically
frail and emotional. Brass grow up to be big and strong. The piano is the
brain from which most composers find their inspiration.
So, what then, is the next step for the maturing, post-war (we won't say
which war) Boomers? Why not "expand the band" to include all known
instruments? Marry the past with today?
Just
as every other human activity is being replicated by computer chips, the makeup of the
conventional orchestra is changing, too. Rather than replace strings and oboes with
electronic sound-alikes, Orchestronics integrates new sounds and instruments into the
orchestral family.
Purely
electronic music CAN sound mechanical and lack a human dimension, when not done properly.
New Age, Jazz and Classical music have always emphasized emotion and dynamics.
Finesse is the key.
Bio-Feedback
Gershwin
and Copland breathed new life into the stodgy ol' orchestra, and movie soundtracks are
full of orchestral mood swings. Film composers understand the biological-hormonal
relationship we have with the orchestra. Our bodies are 'tuned' to respond to certain
cues.
Just as the human body is beautiful in its complexity, a well-structured
theme and development can have exciting twists and turns like an action flick.
A great deal of design goes into making music The "old-fashioned
way." Not that music should be intentionally 'difficult,' but, a little variety among
instrumental riffs draws the listener's attention toward the structure and architecture of
the piece.
The average 20-year-old probably doesn't know what a piano concerto is,
much less, has actually heard one. Before we bury the form completely, we need to dress it
up for the new millenium.
way cool links:
