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Unanswered Question

Joe Horowitz on music

America’s Forbidden Composer: Take Two — Listening to Arthur Farwell

December 15, 2019 by Joe Horowitz 6 Comments

“America’s forbidden composer” is Arthur Farwell (1872-1952), leader of the “Indianists” movement in music. As I’ve discussed in a recent blog: politically, Farwell seems hopelessly incorrect today. But impressions of Farwell, insofar as they endure, are typically misimpressions. His significance is not merely historical. He composed some of the most original and compelling … [Read more...] about America’s Forbidden Composer: Take Two — Listening to Arthur Farwell

Porgy — Take Four

November 9, 2019 by Joe Horowitz Leave a Comment

The latest installment of Conrad L. Osborne’s indispensable opera blog takes stock of Porgy and Bess and the Met’s acclaimed new production. It also graciously plugs my own recent series of Porgy blogs in this space, my American Scholar review of the Met Porgy, and my book (“On My Way” – the Untold Story of Rouben Mamoulian, George Gershwin, and “Porgy and Bess”) about this … [Read more...] about Porgy — Take Four

America’s Forbidden Composer

November 4, 2019 by Joe Horowitz 4 Comments

                                               -- I -- “Arthur Farwell is probably the most neglected composer in our history. . . . At the … [Read more...] about America’s Forbidden Composer

Solomon Volkov on Stalin and Shostakovich

October 20, 2019 by Joe Horowitz Leave a Comment

Of Joseph Stalin the culture-czar, Solomon Volkov comments:   “People underestimate the level of control that Stalin maintained. I once tried to count the number of people in the arts that Stalin controlled personally – listened to their music and read their books. It was close to one thousand. This was Stalin’s habit. So Shostakovich knew very well he was under the … [Read more...] about Solomon Volkov on Stalin and Shostakovich

Is Porgy a “Stereotype”? — Take Three

October 13, 2019 by Joe Horowitz 1 Comment

Kevin Deas, the exceptional bass-baritone who is the anonymous “Porgy” of my previous blog, has written to me at greater length about singing the part – and the importance of the view “from below.” He says: “Being on my knees for my first staged Porgy was revelatory. Not only was it the first time that I’d sung the complete role, it was that perspective that was, in … [Read more...] about Is Porgy a “Stereotype”? — Take Three

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About Joe Horowitz

Joseph Horowitz is an award-winning author, concert producer, film-maker, broadcaster, and pianist/composer. He is one of the most prominent and widely published writers on topics in American music. As an orchestral administrator and advisor, he has been a pioneering force in the development of … [more] about Joseph Horowitz

About Unanswered Question

When a few years ago Doug McLennan invited me to write an ArtsJournal blog, I thought about it and said no. Having been born as long ago as 1948, I remain somewhat a stranger to the internet. And, as I am always writing a book (a form of therapy) when I am not producing concerts, I felt I didn't … [more] about The Unanswered Question

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