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| Foregoing Practicing to Post Minor Deity  |
I am THIS close to posting a rant on Facebook about this, but so much about this article sounds unethical on the critic's part (and paper's part) and shows the crassest of publicity-seeking on the part of the artist/composer. Maybe I'm old-fashioned and don't understand how these things work these days, but is this an acceptable way to get a nice fat piece written about you in the Times these days? (It's also interesting that the Times has not posted a Comments section, at least not yet). When a Critic Hosts the Premiere
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| (self-titled) semi-posting lurker Minor Deity  |
Wow, I would never have considered the kind of take you have on this. I hate to disagree with you when you obviously feel so strongly about it, but I loved the piece! I would have loved to have been there. It also made me think about the home music parties I've been having lately, what I might change about them, how they are similar or different to this etc.... Back to the topic at hand though. It seems to me that other kinds of artists (non-musicians, I mean) do all kinds of things that might be labeled publicity-seeking.... Or we could describe it as "getting your work out there." Why should (somewhat)classical musicians or composers not be allowed to do something similar? You described this as unethical and crass. How should it be undertaken to be ethical and not crass? I'm guessing you'll answer "have the host not also be a NYTs writer"? What else am I missing?
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Has Achieved Nirvana |
I read as much as I could... (I don't have a subscription). I feel it's cloying. The critic has a vested interest (his career) and a platform (the NYT). He uses these to promote artists in an article that seems like the next best thing to shilling to me. I don't like it at all. | |||
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| Foregoing Practicing to Post Minor Deity |
Hi SK. Some publicity agents do have “pull” with critics and can steer them to cover artists they represent . I get that. But “You should go hear this upcoming fAntastic performance by Artist X” is wildly different from “You should host Artist X’s performance in your home” with even an unspoken assumption that the critic will write about it is very different. And that’s only one of the problems I have with this. I would love to hear Mary Anna’s or Pique’s take on this. I have no problem with home concerts in principle. I think they’re great.
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| (self-titled) semi-posting lurker Minor Deity |
I see what you're saying. I guess I probably sound sort of naive, it just seems like a neat way to do a non-traditional concert and I enjoyed reading about it. But if it makes the "critic" unable to be "critical" or ends up creating a conflict of interest, I can see how that's problematic. I agree, hopefully MA and pique will comment from their journalistic perspective.
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Minor Deity |
As a first world society, we probably pay too much attention and give too much credence to art critics. May be I say that only because I do not understand the value brought to the table by these art critics? What is the monetary value of getting a piece published about a living composer/artist in the NYT, like, how much more commissions or gigs would it get the composer/artist in dollar terms vs not having the piece published?
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| czarina Has Achieved Nirvana  |
The Times should not have allowed this From the POV of journalism ethics, this crosses a line. He was used, and that's pretty transparent.
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Has Achieved Nirvana |
RP, have you found that the opinion of various critics affects your business?
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| Foregoing Practicing to Post Minor Deity |
Yes, you do need some nice reviews. But hard to point to that as a defining factor. What's new lately is social media. Artists, critics, curators, arts presenters, are all swimming in the same social-media sea. Among my FB "friends" are concert presenters and critics, including a NY Times music critic (not this guy). There used to be more of a sense of separation between these types of people.
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| (self-titled) semi-posting lurker Minor Deity |
What is a concert presenter? Like, an organizer or sponsor?
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| Foregoing Practicing to Post Minor Deity |
An organizer within an institution. For example, Columbia University has a prominent new music series at Miller Theater, and the director who determines what music/artists perform in those concerts is Melissa Smey. Or, a presenter may be in charge of the series but pass on the selection process to a curator or rotating series of curators, and they do the deciding.
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| (self-titled) semi-posting lurker Minor Deity |
Thanks for the clarification. So, what is an appropriate separation? Musicians shouldn't mix with critics or presenters?
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| czarina Has Achieved Nirvana |
It's the responsibility of critics--and the news organizations they work for--to not cross these lines. A journalist has a responsibility to be agnostic about the subject they write about, to not write about artists they have a personal or business relationship with, and to not form personal or business relationships with artists they write about. I remember when I was writing Grand Obsession, one of the piano dealers who is in the book wanted to pay me a commission for a piano sale he had made. I had to decline because to accept would have changed our relationship and created a conflict of interest.
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| Pinta & the Santa Maria Has Achieved Nirvana  |
Would he have reviewed the piece had it not been in his home? That is a significant issue, from my perspective. I, too, find it odd that there are no comments. Finally, I love the part where he writes, "The unshakable sense that I owned this performance — the way people own paintings and hang them in their homes — prevented me from reviewing it, in my usual sense." Then he proceeds to review it. | |||
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| Foregoing Practicing to Post Minor Deity |
Exactly, Nina. It's simple: Hold it in somebody else's apartment and review it. Hold it in your own apartment and don't review it. He could have even written about his experience of hosting a concert at home, leaving out all details (including names) of composer and performer and performance. I'd be cool with that, and it would still be an interesting article.
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well-temperedforum.groupee.net The Well-Tempered Forum Off Key What do you think of this? (Arts journalism)