Ugh. I'm usualy so in agreement with your musical taste, but we part dramatically at John Rutter. I think he's the most overrated, overplayed, undertalented composer to ever hit a Christian music store's shelves. I asked my brother-in-law, who is a former minister of music with a Master's degree in music, why Rutter was so popular when the best thing he ever wrote was mediocre. He said that his only issue with Rutter was that every time he BLOWS HIS NOSE, somebody prints it on sheet music and people buy it.
I'm really enjoying his Requiem, which I had never heard until a few days ago. It moves me. I recognize some of the cliche's he uses, but I find it effective. I especially am moved by the contrast to the ominous opening of the first movement to the first statement of the main "requiem" theme, which sounds like a lullabye coming from nowhere, out of something sinister. For me, it works.
I also think it an interesting choice to make the Agnus Dei movement the darkest of the work. I'm not very knowledgeable about the musical history of the requiem but it seems the "Lamb of God" movement is usually one of the gentler settings. Not here.
Your brother in law's point is not a musical criticism, it sounds like something else. I'm not familiar enough with Rutter's total output to come to the same sweeping conclusions you have. It reminds me of some people's reaction to Andrew Lloyd Webber, a wildly popular composer with ardent fans and ardent critics. He has indeed written some stuff that's quite bad and some that's quite good. One can be critical of him without dismissing him completely.
I find Rutter's Requiem to be effective music, by which I mean it works for me. Is it great art? I think only time can answer that question.
I agree with you, Scott. I had the privilege of performing Rutter's Requiem when I sang with the Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas. Whether or not you like Rutter, you cannot say his Requiem is snot. It's a beautiful piece of music.
5 comments:
Ugh. I'm usualy so in agreement with your musical taste, but we part dramatically at John Rutter. I think he's the most overrated, overplayed, undertalented composer to ever hit a Christian music store's shelves. I asked my brother-in-law, who is a former minister of music with a Master's degree in music, why Rutter was so popular when the best thing he ever wrote was mediocre. He said that his only issue with Rutter was that every time he BLOWS HIS NOSE, somebody prints it on sheet music and people buy it.
I'm really enjoying his Requiem, which I had never heard until a few days ago. It moves me. I recognize some of the cliche's he uses, but I find it effective. I especially am moved by the contrast to the ominous opening of the first movement to the first statement of the main "requiem" theme, which sounds like a lullabye coming from nowhere, out of something sinister. For me, it works.
I also think it an interesting choice to make the Agnus Dei movement the darkest of the work. I'm not very knowledgeable about the musical history of the requiem but it seems the "Lamb of God" movement is usually one of the gentler settings. Not here.
Your brother in law's point is not a musical criticism, it sounds like something else. I'm not familiar enough with Rutter's total output to come to the same sweeping conclusions you have. It reminds me of some people's reaction to Andrew Lloyd Webber, a wildly popular composer with ardent fans and ardent critics. He has indeed written some stuff that's quite bad and some that's quite good. One can be critical of him without dismissing him completely.
I find Rutter's Requiem to be effective music, by which I mean it works for me. Is it great art? I think only time can answer that question.
I agree with you, Scott. I had the privilege of performing Rutter's Requiem when I sang with the Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas. Whether or not you like Rutter, you cannot say his Requiem is snot. It's a beautiful piece of music.
Alan -- There is a TTBB version? Or did you sing it with the Dallas Women's Chorus?
We sang with the Women's Chorus of Dallas. A TTBB version would be beautiful though, don't you think?
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