...the kind of contest where ooh shiny is likely to beat out something not shiny but exquisitely executed.
That's what I hated about the Polyphonic Challenge, back in the day; little things like (frex) wondering why the judges thought that our piece, in unbarred notation with complex fifteenth-century rhythms was voted lower in complexity than the group that did a double-choir piece (Choir A: OOM-pa-pah! [rest] Choir B: OOM-pa-pah! [rest]; etc. ad nauseam). The judging on other groups' entries used to give me pause, too (lest you think it was sour grapes on my part :->); it bugged me to see a sensitively-rendered religious motet lose out to an extroverted madrigal performed by a quintet in flashy Elizabethan clothing, or a warhorse dance setting played by people in heraldic livery.* Apples/Oranges. ________________________________________ *Yes, presentation/ambience is important, but the music is the raison d'etre--or should be :-/
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That's what I hated about the Polyphonic Challenge, back in the day; little things like (frex) wondering why the judges thought that our piece, in unbarred notation with complex fifteenth-century rhythms was voted lower in complexity than the group that did a double-choir piece (Choir A: OOM-pa-pah! [rest] Choir B: OOM-pa-pah! [rest]; etc. ad nauseam). The judging on other groups' entries used to give me pause, too (lest you think it was sour grapes on my part :->); it bugged me to see a sensitively-rendered religious motet lose out to an extroverted madrigal performed by a quintet in flashy Elizabethan clothing, or a warhorse dance setting played by people in heraldic livery.* Apples/Oranges.
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*Yes, presentation/ambience is important, but the music is the raison d'etre--or should be :-/