Conference napalm::commusic_v1

809.0. "Orchestra-by-Computer Raises Furor" by AQUA::ROST (But are they friendly spirits?) Fri May 22 1987 14:48

From the Boston Globe, 22 May 1987:

     		ORCHESTRA-BY-COMPUTER RAISES FUROR

Tonight the Merrimack Lyric Opera in Lowell is performing two unusual works 
by Debussy, "L'Enfant Prodigue" and "La Demoiselle Elue", accompanied not 
by orchestra but by a computer and synthesizer which have been programmed 
to reproduce the timbres and colors of an orchestra.

In making the economic and artistic decision to go with electronic 
accompaniment, Merrimack artistic director John B. Bates has stepped, like 
the hero of a Ludlumesque spy novel, into something bigger than he 
realized, and his performances of Debussy are now swirled 'round with 
controversy.

The Boston chapter of the American Federation of Musicians, the union 
representing orchestral players, has expressed its opposition to the 
Merrimack Lyric Opera's performances - just as chapters in other cities 
have protested the growing use of synthesizers in all forms of music.  The 
Merrimack Lyric Opera has used a union orchestra in it previous 
productions of "Faust", "La Boheme" and the Verdi "Requiem".

A notice circulated by James J. Romeo, a composer and computer expert who 
programmed the synthesizer, accuses the musicians' union of "threats of 
picketing, automotive vandaslism ("Gee, the performance is in a bad area, 
you should be careful about where you park your car..."), cut power lines, 
and a competing free performance of the same pieces by the Musicians' Union 
on the same night."

Steve Young, president of Local 9-535, says the union did talk about 
putting on a competing, live, free concert and "explored the possibility 
of an informational picket line", but finally recommended to the national 
office that nothing be done about the Merrimack performances because "they 
are not in an important hall and do not merit the attention."

He categorically denied the other charges.  "To say those thiings is a 
sleazy, underhanded attempt to draw attention to an event that does not 
deserve it.  We are not going after the synthesizer; we have to live with 
it.  We cannot object to new pieces that are composed for the 
synthesizer,or for the synthesizer with live musicians.  But we must 
object to the attempt to substitute synthesizers for live musicians in 
professional performances of older masterpieces.  A synthesizer is not a 
substitute artistically for live musicians.  I firmly believe that the 
essence of any artistic performance is the interaction of the human beings 
who are participating in it."

Bates emphasizes that Romeo's accusations against the union were circulated 
without his knowledge or consent.  "We want no trouble - we are just trying 
to survive, do a good job, to bring wonderful music to this area.  There's 
no way a machine could ever replace the sound of an orchestra, but the 
sound is better than we could get with two pianos and an organ or something 
like that.  We thought this was interesting and innovative."  In a letter 
that will be distributed to the audience tonight, Bates writes, "Debussy 
was extremely innovative with his approach to music and we are trying to be 
the same."

Romeo says he regrets "the way things got out of hand" in his press 
release.  "Basically I am just trying to do some Debussy pieces and get the 
oboe to sound right.  Some of my friends are in the union, and I use union 
members all the time for demonstration tapes.  I think this project has a 
real social utility - once the programming is done, the works can go into 
schools and libraries without further cost, and they can be used for 
community enrichment.  The arguments against this project are as old as the 
industrial revolution, and they appear with the introduction of every new 
technology."

Young argues against taking further steps in what he calls  "the cloning of 
America".

"Music cannot be like MacDonald's and Burger King.  You don't know where it 
will stop.  They say something like this is good for the singers, but the 
next step will be to clone the voices, and then bring in the graophics 
computers to do the whole thing on machines, in three dimensions.  The 
alternative to this is to expose people to high-quality live music as often 
as possible."

    Seems to me the consumers are out to buy entertainment and if it
    happens to be art, fine, but otherwise no big deal.  The fate of the 
    union will depend on the $core.  The fact that the performance is 
    controversial sure doesn't help the musician's union - sometimes 
    controversy is the *only* thing that will draw some people to pay to 
    see some artists.  The point about having to use live performers
    for performance of old works is poppycock.  That's probably what
    they would say if the phonograph record were to come out today.

    Steve_who_performs_best_in_step_time_anyway

    re .-1
    
    I think you're right about it being like the experience of early
    phonograph-listeners. Or like listening to a 'live' concert on the
    radio, in which the music is relayed digitally over landlines to
    the sound studio, where it's given a final tweak here and there
    before broadcast. Unless the radio is particularly attractive
    to look at, you may as well do something else while you listen.
    I think I'd rather see a bunch of musicians than a bunch of hardware
    -- but that's just personal preference. 
    
    I suppose a CD player's just a complex sort of digital oscillator
    anyway...not that far removed from the 'live computer' performance.
    
    There's a rathole here somewhere, if only I can find it...
    
    Richard.
    

    What about the converse situation?  Why aren't the techno-weeny
    composer/programmers of techno-pop-swill upset when members of
    the musician's unions perform their songs either for Muzak tapes
    or in `pops' concerts? ;-)
    
    Richard
    

    ARG!
    (why?)
    NO MENTION AT ALL OF THE HARDWARE USED!
    OR THE SOFTWARE!
    OR THE MIDI NEWORK CONFIGURATION!
    
    misplaced priorities.
    
    

    re .-1
    
    I think the net was a Wangner's Ring -- favourite for classical
    performances.
    
    Richard. 

    Gee, they're just one step away from making their own cassettes..
    "Don't bother to come, we'll mail you the performance."
    
    Actually, since this be opera, the audience's attention ought to
    be primarily on the singers. Bet it's a MIDIed PC or Mac driving
    a rack of samplers.. just like home.
    
    Perhaps I can get some mileage out of this here in tucson.. I'll
    make up an outraged opponent and get some press out of it.

    
    	...not to mention the player piano.
    
	Live performance will go the way of the harpsichord - enjoying
    occasional revivals but by and large remaining a novelty.
    
	Of course, when expert systems start replacing the composers,
    then I'll start complaining (unless I've written the program).
    
    						- Karl

This is not much different than the auto workers in Detroit being outraged
by the use of robots in auto construction.  It is this continous whining
by the workers that just accelerates the replacement process...

Todd.

.-1:
    
    At least the whining is done by real workers and
    not a b*oo*y computer.
    
    Richard.