Tuesday, October 23, 2012

"Who's Zelenka?"

The Seer of Cleveland asks, "I had never heard of composer Jan Dismas Zelenka until I read Schroedinger's Cat, the subject of your upcoming Maybe Logic Academy online course. Do you know if Robert Anton Wilson had a particular interest in his music and was trying to bring attention to it?"

I don't of Bob mentioning Zelenka anywhere except for that novel, as you say the subject of my new class at Maybe Logic - http://www.maybelogic.net/mla-courses/current/461-class-b .  I don't think Bob had a deep interest in Zelenka, but perhaps he did.  I do know that anytime I hear Zelenka's music, I think of that novel.  I think I've only heard Zelenka's music on the Music Choice classical cable channels.  I don't recall ever hearing him live or on the radio.  It says something for the power of the novel, or at least its impact on me personally, that whenever I hear it I think of Frank Dashwood hearing it and wondering, "Who's Zelenka?"  If the novel took place in 2012, I guess he would just google it.

I don't recall ever reading about Zelenka in any books on classical music by Kerman or Rosen, etc.  I find it interesting how their maps of what they consider important in the vast history of classical music helps to shape my notions of what music to focus on, as do the models of Bob Wilson, Rafi Zabor, etc.

5 comments:

  1. Seems like it could have been just another of Bob's atlas shrugged whimsies; I think I will check Zelenka out, sounds like the kind of composer I would like.

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  2. Hi Eric, where's Zelenka?

    Do you know what the situation is with the MLA course? I and a few other people are registered, but there doesn't seem to be anything going on. No word from the admins either. Everything okay?

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  3. Unfortunately, MLA has delayed the course. If you contact them, they will refund your money.

    Thanks for signing up, and I hope I get to teach it next year.

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  4. The class begins today! Good news! www.maybelogic.net

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  5. Did RAW mention Louis Zukofsky? If he did I missed it. Anyway, I know you enjoy LZ's _A_ and I've noticed the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E poets see Zukofsky as one of their gods. Do you also like the Language Poets? And if so, who/what books?

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