CENSORSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY
Because of my life-long career in the world of serious music, and in particular opera, I have been afforded a great deal of travel. Having command of five languages, I have lived in North America, Europe, Asia, Russian and Israel. I take great delight in exploring the customs and traditions of others peoples throughout the world. Still, in all the great opportunities of living in other lands, one of the salient reasons for my intense patriotism to the USA is the 1st Amendment to the Constitution, the right to freedom of expression. It is for me one of the greatest of our inalienable rights. Were it not for that freedom we could not express, worship, discourse with others about our thoughts without fear of recourse or censorship. I defend anyone’s right to express an idea to the point that it is injurious to another. There is a fine line between supporting one’s freedom to express and supporting one’s ability to wreak havoc on a society. We have within this country, both on a national level and a state level rules that govern public decency. These codes are brought forward by the majority of the populace, and are part of the lexicon of laws of the land. If they are archaic or prejudicial, we have the wonderful constitutional system to amend them by majority vote. These codes were instituted to protect and preserve harmony within the populace. We have an interesting paradigm that exists in America wherein the codes that govern “decency” in public expression differ between the spoken or written word, and words communicated with the aid of music. The criteria is not as constrictive in music. As a result there are many messages of hostility and obscenity, conveyed through music, which would not be allowed utterance by text alone. It creates a dilemma. If we are to be selective about who has the write to have freedom of expression and who does not, we would jeopardize our remarkable constitutional rights. Nevertheless, I believe strongly in the principle of responsibility. If an artist wishes to convey a message of hostility or obscenity, it would seem unconstitutional to ban his or her right to do so. However, if producer chooses to promote the work and give it widespread exposure at the risk of injury to the public, this is an act of immoral irresponsibility. Richard Wagner’s perverse opinions on Anti-Semitism, in this nation would be protected by constitutional law, but when it takes that step, as it did with Adolf Hitler, to action that puts in jeopardy segments of our population, it steps beyond the bounds of constitutional protection. This is a delicate balance, and will probably always be under legal scrutiny, but I am concerned that the pendulum as swung alarmingly to the left without the balance of exercising responsibility in the dissemination of obscene or hostile ideas.
My Purpose
My Purpose
The purpose of this blog is to help people understand that music can be more then just entertainment, and what those things are. I want be able to help people with this blog. I don't know everything about music, I am still studying it, however, I will share what I have found. I hope you will be enlighted and edified by what I have to share. I worry that some people might turn a deaf ear to my blog if they read something on this blog that they don't agree with. I respect your beliefs. I don't agree with everything I read either. But I know you can find something that can help and interest you, if you just keep reading.
The purpose of this blog is to help people understand that music can be more then just entertainment, and what those things are. I want be able to help people with this blog. I don't know everything about music, I am still studying it, however, I will share what I have found. I hope you will be enlighted and edified by what I have to share. I worry that some people might turn a deaf ear to my blog if they read something on this blog that they don't agree with. I respect your beliefs. I don't agree with everything I read either. But I know you can find something that can help and interest you, if you just keep reading.
"Quotes Worth Mentioning"
QUOTES WORTH MENTIONING
When asked where his inspiration came from, Johannes Brahms said, "I immediately feel vibrations that thrills my whole being. These are the Spirit illuminating the soul power within, and in this exalted state, I see clearly what is obscure in my ordinary moods: Then I feel capable of drawing inspiration from above, as Beethoven ... Straighway the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration. Measure by measure, the finished product is revealed to me when I am in those rare, inspired moods." "The powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Beethoven drew their inspiration is the same power that enabled Jesus to work his miracles. It is the same power that created our earth and the whole universe"
("Talks with Great Composers", Arthur M. Abell)
"Give me power over he who shapes the music of a nation, and I care not for who shapes it laws"
Napolian Bonaparte
“Intellectual enlightenment consists of instruction in the arts, numbers, history, speech, and government. Music consummates a man’s life, giving his rituals meaning. Music has a trensforming effect on its listeners, and should be the first principle of government.” -The Teachings of Confucius.
I quote some remarks between,Gene R. Cook, and Mik Jagger made a few years ago:
Cook: "I have the opportunity to be with a lot of young people. Many say your music does not affect them adversely in any way. Others say it effects them in a very bad way. What is your opinion? What is your impact?”
Jagger "Our music is calculated to drive the kids to sex. It's not my fault what they do. It's up to them. I'm just making a lot of money.”
Cook: He was in Mexico making a profane and pornographic music video because the cost is 1/3 there. In addition it is easier to produce such videos there at the moment. He explained that though such videos with explicit sexual behavior is illegal on US national television, it soon will be, and they want to have the videos ready. Now not only audio pornography can be portrayed, but they can view it as well. He was making more money this way."
Jagger:“It doesn't matter what you do in life, there are no rules. There is no god. You can take whatever you want. It doesn't matter."
"To encourage literature and the arts is the duty which every good citizen owns to his country."
George Washington
"Music has the power of producing a certain effect on the moral character of the soul, and if it has the power to do this, it is clear that the young must be directed to music and must be educated in it."
Aristotle
(more qoutes to come)
When asked where his inspiration came from, Johannes Brahms said, "I immediately feel vibrations that thrills my whole being. These are the Spirit illuminating the soul power within, and in this exalted state, I see clearly what is obscure in my ordinary moods: Then I feel capable of drawing inspiration from above, as Beethoven ... Straighway the ideas flow in upon me, directly from God, and not only do I see distinct themes in my mind's eye but they are clothed in the right forms, harmonies, and orchestration. Measure by measure, the finished product is revealed to me when I am in those rare, inspired moods." "The powers from which all truly great composers like Mozart, Schubert, Bach and Beethoven drew their inspiration is the same power that enabled Jesus to work his miracles. It is the same power that created our earth and the whole universe"
("Talks with Great Composers", Arthur M. Abell)
"Give me power over he who shapes the music of a nation, and I care not for who shapes it laws"
Napolian Bonaparte
“Intellectual enlightenment consists of instruction in the arts, numbers, history, speech, and government. Music consummates a man’s life, giving his rituals meaning. Music has a trensforming effect on its listeners, and should be the first principle of government.” -The Teachings of Confucius.
I quote some remarks between,Gene R. Cook, and Mik Jagger made a few years ago:
Cook: "I have the opportunity to be with a lot of young people. Many say your music does not affect them adversely in any way. Others say it effects them in a very bad way. What is your opinion? What is your impact?”
Jagger "Our music is calculated to drive the kids to sex. It's not my fault what they do. It's up to them. I'm just making a lot of money.”
Cook: He was in Mexico making a profane and pornographic music video because the cost is 1/3 there. In addition it is easier to produce such videos there at the moment. He explained that though such videos with explicit sexual behavior is illegal on US national television, it soon will be, and they want to have the videos ready. Now not only audio pornography can be portrayed, but they can view it as well. He was making more money this way."
Jagger:“It doesn't matter what you do in life, there are no rules. There is no god. You can take whatever you want. It doesn't matter."
"To encourage literature and the arts is the duty which every good citizen owns to his country."
George Washington
"Music has the power of producing a certain effect on the moral character of the soul, and if it has the power to do this, it is clear that the young must be directed to music and must be educated in it."
Aristotle
(more qoutes to come)
PLEASE NOTE: It would greatly benefit the reader to follow blog postings from the first post to the most recent. Using the Blog Archive in the left column of the page to jump to the oldest posts. For now I will see if I can find a way to display the posting in chronilogical order, first post to the latest post.
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