{"id":9015,"date":"2024-11-21T14:49:37","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T20:49:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/americanmusic\/?p=9015"},"modified":"2024-11-21T14:49:37","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T20:49:37","slug":"earl-calloways-music-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.stolaf.edu\/americanmusic\/2024\/11\/21\/earl-calloways-music-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Earl Calloway’s Music Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Music critics are a unique source as they show insight on how the audience perceived the performance at that point in history. Combined with general knowledge of the time period, they are incredibly useful to historians and musicologists. Earl Calloway wrote a multitude of music reviews for the \u201cChicago Daily Defender\u201d beginning in 19631<\/sup><\/a>
\n. This specific review is on the Chicago Symphony\u2019s performance of \u201cSymphony No. 4 \u2018Altitudes\u2019\u201d. This piece was composed in 1964 by French composer Jean Martinon.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This is the first half of Earl Calloway’s published Music Review.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This is the second half of Earl Calloway’s published Music Review.<\/p><\/div>\n

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This music review is especially revealing of the audience reaction because Calloway begins by comparing the audience’s positive reaction with the generally negative one in the previous century. This reaction was in reference to new music as opposed to orchestras playing beloved classics. Calloway moves on to Martinson\u2019s piece and attributes each of the three movements to the title’s theme of nature as well as an aspect of God. It is unclear how religious the piece was supposed to be in regards to what Martinon wanted. The final movement is called \u201cthe crossing of the Gods\u201d and there are references to nature and the world at large(words like \u201cstars\u201d and \u201cgarden\u201d), so there is an assumption of a spirituality present that could be made. The blatant portrayal of religion towards a general audience is a cultural norm that is not as present in modern day performances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of his review, Calloway explains that the piece was inspired by themes and variations of Frederick Stock and that \u201cAltitudes\u201d was a memorial to him. This provides evidence that the audience of the time held a value of memorial and legacy and the artistic talents of composers.<\/span><\/p>\n