You need only say the name Mae West to conjure up a world of images remniescent of a particular era in Hollywood’s (and America’s) history. And while she may be remembered today primarily for some of her more acerbic and sexually-charged quips, West was a constant crusader for the right of artists to push the boundaries of society’s moral code, as well as a cutting-edge “social critic, satiriser of the age-old battle of the sexes and advocate of the primacy of the surviving woman. Even bedecked with gems, as Diamond Lil, she remained a model for all those who felt that her sassy rebellion against conventional morality was a precious gift in a prudish, harsh world, which soon plunged into the Depression.”
Tag: 09.16.05
Mozart: More Than Just Hold Music
No matter where you live, you’re probably going to be hearing a lot of Mozart this year, as the classical music world celebrates the composer’s 250th anniversary. “Mozart is so easy to underestimate. His music chimes in every muzak-infested lift or restaurant or shopping centre, and in these days of the call centre, Mozart’s is among the music you hear most often when on hold. You can claim to know nothing about classical music, but you have heard of Mozart, and heard Mozart. Yet just when you are about to write Mozart off as over-exploited and over-exposed, there is the music, utterly direct, communicative yet emotionally elusive, simple yet infinitely complex, which has been moving listeners for over two centuries, offering different qualities to new generations.”