The Orchestra being a Dinosaur

I compose my music so that I will be famous within 400 years, not next week or next year or even next century.

Wow... I honestly couldn't care less what happens to my music in 400 years. Actually, I wouldn't mind if it stopped existing the moment I die. Just think of how silly it all is: Now we're playing the music of 300 years ago, and in 400 years we'll be playing the music of now? I'd rather people listened to new music now and in 400 years they showed some interest in their own contemporary composers, instead of clinging to what we write today.

I definitely write for the presence. Not to get rich, but to hear my music and let others participate in living, contemporary music. Nothing against listening to Vivaldi of course, but I don't understand why composers would support the consolidation of the state of affairs where music will only be listened to when it's become old. In my opinion, music should be a living thing, not a "cenotaph for eternity", like some pyramid in Egypt.

Wow... I honestly couldn't care less what happens to my music in 400 years. Actually, I wouldn't mind if it stopped existing the moment I die. Just think of how silly it all is: Now we're playing the music of 300 years ago, and in 400 years we'll be playing the music of now? I'd rather people listened to new music now and in 400 years they showed some interest in their own contemporary composers, instead of clinging to what we write today.

I definitely write for the presence. Not to get rich, but to hear my music and let others participate in living, contemporary music. Nothing against listening to Vivaldi of course, but I don't understand why composers would support the consolidation of the state of affairs where music will only be listened to when it's become old. In my opinion, music should be a living thing, not a "cenotaph for eternity", like some pyramid in Egypt.

Same here. I write like I perform - to enjoy it now. The truth is, in 400 years, people will most likely either be listening to the music of 300 years ago still, will ignoring 99.9% of what's being written now, or they will have done away with the conventions of what we call music and be listening to an entirely diffferent thing entirely. I don't see cellist ceasing to perform the Bach Cello Suites (or marimbists, for that matter,) and so I think that music will live on.

EDIT - that's not actually the truth, just my perception, but "The truth is..." definitely sounds better.

You compose so you'll be famous in 400 years?!?!

AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

Monteverdi didn't even think that way. You people are so loving pretentious, I await to hear of your Pulitzers and commissions by the New York Phil.

Except I never will.

I write for my clients. Only I'm too good for them (!!!!! sic !!!!!) so I actually try (and usually succeed) in doing as a please... In the meantime I keep my clients happy, the reviewers and general audience happy, get more comissions, or gigs and my music gets played by 1000s.

And no, I'm not over rating anything. I work in computer games, thus the 1000s is true. Comissions, I got 2 comissions, one for spring in London and one for fall in Seattle (thanks QCC) and do as I please... well that's a talent I guess. To be able to bend the rules/specifications...

And gms5287. Whenever I read a word which includes the prefix "gently caress", I tend to return the favour, even if it does not involve me at all. So here it is:

gently caress off...

Gardener: A great analogy. What's even better, the pyramids are... in fact burial grounds, tombs, nothing else, so the comment is rather hillarious! hehe! (and I agree of course)

If ancient people decided not to write down present (for back then) 'history' then we would not know anything about Ancient Greece (for example), or Chinese history. It's only because they were thinking about future generations know about the past.

I kinda agree with rolifer on some points (minus the 400 years bit ;) ). The orchestra is what it is. If a piece fits the scope and "sound" of an orchestra, write for orchestra. If it would work well for band, write it for band. So on a so forth.