Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!decvax!cca!ima!inmet!rgh From: rgh@inmet.UUCP Newsgroups: net.music Subject: Re: Stravinsky, Gershwin, and Ravel - (nf) Message-ID: <1035@inmet.UUCP> Date: Sat, 10-Mar-84 23:58:41 EST Article-I.D.: inmet.1035 Posted: Sat Mar 10 23:58:41 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Mar-84 19:15:55 EST Lines: 22 #R:tekecs:-356600:inmet:6600096:000:915 inmet!rgh Mar 9 10:39:00 1984 I was trying to track down the Gershwin/Ravel story and came across this interesting sidelight; it's from an essay "The Emergence of Rock", by Albert Goldman, in New American Review #3: On two memorable occasions in recent decades, a self-taught genius of popular music has sought unsuccessfully to study with a contemporary master. In the twenties George Gershwin approached Maurice Ravel in Paris, only to be told that there was no way he could improve what he was already doing so perfectly. Again in the forties, in New York, Charlie Parker implored Edgard Varese to take him on in any capacity (even as a cook) in exchange for lessons in composition. But again the artist demurred -- not because he lacked appreciation of Parker's gifts but simply because he could not imagine what two such sundered arts might have to contribute to each other. Randy Hudson {harpo, decvax!cca!ima}!inmet!rgh