Mozart with a Telecaster
Where have all the great composers gone? That was a question Stephen Jay Gould once asked in one of his essays. Gould was a Harvard professor who, among many other things, was the greatest essayist on scientific topics the world has ever seen. Known primarily as an evolutionary biologist, he had his fingers in many varied intellectual pies. My library is filled with his books. He still has an honored place on a special shelf in one of my bookcases. Alongside his books are those of Kurt Vonnegut and the music of the mysterious Athena. It is an impressive shelf.
Gould, a very knowledgeable classical music fan, had an inclination about modern music that he hoped was wrong. He wondered why it has been so long since we have had a Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart. Of course, I am sure I know why and I am confident that, deep down, he also knew the answer. The geniuses of today are working in popular music. It is no surprise that Bob Dylan got a Nobel Prize (even though I must admit it did shock me when his name was called). How long before Jay Zee or another one of the rappers get recognized on such a scale? It might be sooner than we all think.
Author’s Note: I look forward to the day when Nobel Prizes and Grammy Awards are not taken seriously. I do think that will happen, but it might take some time. The day may arrive when an Academy Award or a Pulitzer Prize is viewed with such suspicion that such an award is not something a person would wish to have.
Genius writers and hyper-talented musicians are clearly working in music that is not of the classical variety. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Young people today are more likely to be influenced by a rapper or an EDM artist than by one of the great classical composers.
Author’s Note: Ask around. Forget the rappers and the DJs; see if any youngsters you know have a guitar hero. I don’t know any kids who even have a faint interest in learning the guitar. More on this in a bit…
I have often thought about what Mozart would have accomplished in his short life if he had an electric guitar. Can you imagine? What would he have written? How would he have used the instrument? I doubt he would have ignored it, taken one listen, and ran back to his fortepiano or violin. I like to think that a plugged-in Tele would have been a revelation to him, that he would have embraced the instrument and played it until his fingers were raw.
Unfortunately, I have yet to master time travel, nor do I have the ability to bring a person through time into our own. I am working on it but, so far, I have nothing. It is a difficult problem. That said, the best I can do is try to imagine what a reincarnated Mozart might look and sound like. I have a few thoughts.
Maybe Jimi Hendrix was the reincarnation of Mozart. I once had a classically trained guitar player tell me how in awe of Hendrix he was. “That guy played lead, rhythm, and the bass line all at once. On top of that, he would sing. Astonishing.” That said, I don’t know if Hendrix is the right way to go. I admit that I am impressed that he took a right-handed guitar and played it upside down. I am aware that some people think that is part of what gave him his unique sound—that, and the fact that he was most likely the greatest rock and roll guitar player who ever lived.
Might the correct answer be Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day? I like to think that Mozart would be a punk rocker if he were around today, and I am a big fan of Green Day. Billie Joe is a rare talent; he has created some fantastic music. Maria is one of my all-time favorite songs. The thing is, when you look at his entire body of work, it becomes evident that he is nowhere near normal on any scale. He is something different, a very talented and special musician.
Would a reincarnated Mozart be Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys? Turner is my present-day favorite. I love his band, and I am looking forward to what comes next for him. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, the group’s last release, was odd. I have listened to it around 400 times, and I still don’t know if I like it. Turner is experimenting within the musical landscape, and I imagine Mozart would be doing a lot of that with a Tele and a very loud amp (you know, one that goes to 11).
I hate to say this, but there is one other possibility for why the world has not seen another Mozart. We tend to equate genius with novelty, whether it be in science or art. If you think about that for a moment, you will realize that statement is correct. Popular music, written by pedestrian musicians, can undoubtedly be uninspired and derivative. Some would argue that all of the modern music being produced today is not to be taken seriously.
I will say this, there is one young artist that I have my eye and ear on. Her name is Billie Eilish, and I have high hopes for her future. I am expecting big things from her. I think she has an excellent chance to be her generation’s Bob Dylan. I hear a depth to her music that is striking, especially for a person her age.
Now we come to the totally unpleasant point, is it possible that all the novel combinations possible from the piano keyboard or guitar neck have been exhausted? Have we not seen another Mozart because the musical universe is spent? Isn’t that a terrible thought to entertain? I hope I am wrong and that the secret chord that Leonard Cohen wrote about in Hallelujah is, in reality, a series of unknown chords that, when revealed by a yet unknown genius, will please all music lovers. Not only satisfy us, but prove to be a revelation to listeners the world over. What are the odds of that? I am not sure, but I will undoubtedly take the other side of that bet.
So, what is the point? The lede has indeed been buried as I am want to do. Have we heard a reincarnated Mozart with a Telecaster? The world lost its mind when Dylan plugged in. Imagine what would happen if a modern-day Mozart was handed an electric guitar and an amp. I think all we can do is wait and hope for the improbable.
How about an unexpected end to this essay? I believe that rock and roll is dead. If not dead, it is on its last legs. Kids do not have guitar heroes today. Taylor Swift is as close as anyone comes. Acoustic guitars are outselling electrics, and more girls than boys are buying them. Turn on your car radio to a contemporary station and then call me and tell me how many songs you hear that offer any guitar tracks. I am telling you, you won’t hear much guitar at all. Even guitar bands like Arctic Monkeys relegated the instrument to the background in their last studio offering.
It looks like rock and roll is becoming nothing more than a footnote to the history of music. That means that the time is now for that modern genius, that present-day Mozart, to plug in and reveal herself. And yes, my guess is it will be a woman, and maybe a very young one. My hope is that she doesn’t get lost in the shuffle. It was much easier for Mozart’s genius to be revealed; his game was the only one in town. In today’s world, a prodigy may be living down the road from you, unheard and unappreciated. And that, unfortunately, is more probable than possible.
