Rulebooks of English grammar are not generally known for their longevity, or for their ability to implant themselves in the broader cultural imagination. But as even William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White conceded, every rule has its exceptions.
Strunk and White’s legendary “Elements of Style” was first published in 1959, and in the [...]
But his textures are anything but minimal: this was active, refreshing, original music, engaging in its timbres, and penetrating far beyond mere text setting or tone painting to stand up to its poetry.
…Of the composers I heard, the one who seems best poised for a major career is Nico Muhly, a twenty-two year-old, spiky-haired, healthily irreverent student of Corigliano’s at Juilliard. He has formed his own private repertory, running from the purest, hootiest English choral music to minimalism in its raw, classic phase. These tastes reflect [...]