Thursday, January 22, 2009
Bush, Obama, Cage, Corelli
If Bush were a composer, he'd be John Cage. Most of his acts were random, dissonant and meaningless; listening to him was physically painful. He spent long periods doing nothing at all. His acolytes and defenders try to find and celebrate the hidden meanings of his accidental lurches and squawks, and praise his long silence as an ingenious gambit. Cage's academic sycophants defended him similarly, but his reality was just as painful, pointless and empty.
At this early stage I'll tentatively compare Obama to Arcangelo Corelli. A Corelli concerto starts steadily and decisively, then forges through to the end with a constant forward drive. His melody lines are often complex, but you don't need a code book to figure out where he's going. His meaning is transparent; you can follow and appreciate without the need for intermediaries, talking points or aspirin. ¶ 12:18 PM
At this early stage I'll tentatively compare Obama to Arcangelo Corelli. A Corelli concerto starts steadily and decisively, then forges through to the end with a constant forward drive. His melody lines are often complex, but you don't need a code book to figure out where he's going. His meaning is transparent; you can follow and appreciate without the need for intermediaries, talking points or aspirin. ¶ 12:18 PM
