Charles Rosen (R.I.P.)

"Understanding music means feeling comfortable with it – taking pleasure in music is the most obvious sign of comprehension." Charles Rosen

Charles Rosen  - pianist and music, literary and fine arts scholar - died on 9 December 2012 at the age of 85. Since reading his The Classical Style in the summer of 1972, I have returned often to Mr Rosen's writings and recorded piano performances - his recordings of Bach, Beethoven, Schumann, Carter and Boulez. I won't mention his other wonderful books, except to note that his last volume, Freedom and the Arts: Essays on Music and Literature, 2012, is providing me with expected knowledge and pleasure. 

  I think Michel de Montaigne - the original blogger - was one of Charles Rosen's favorite authors. And Mr Rosen's writing displays many of Montaigne's fine qualities. I particularly admire the feeling that I get when reading Rosen that I [the reader] am a colleague of Rosen's, involved with him in his search.

I've hesitated to blog on about the things that I love and the people I admire in light of the unspeakable Newtown Ct. tragedy. It makes me very sad to think that twenty young children and six caring and heroic adults were murdered by a young person bearing his parent's assault weapon and automatic pistols. Music and books  - feeling, interpretation, learning and understanding, the search thereof - human and humane pursuits seem to be beyond our reach. It was our hope that children armed with love, understanding, and knowledge as provided by caring adults and schools would be sufficient for their flourishing and well-being. It's not happening.      

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/dec/10/charles-rosen

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/11/arts/music/charles-rosen-pianist-polymath-and-author-dies-at-85.html?pagewanted=all

http://dothemath.typepad.com/dtm/the-gate-is-open.html