It only takes an occasional foray into contemporary music concerts to get the point: Sound itself is no longer a subject matter that instrumentalists care about or know how to pay attention to.
There are many notable exceptions to this: most percussionists, a lot of club musicians, early music people, for example. And there are living composers who know how to address the beauty problem in such a way that musicians who still know how to respond to their instruments make you aware of that as you listen. My friend Ursula Mamlok is such a composer.
But among the "serious" musicians I hear, some of whom are very good, indeed, I get the feeling that difficulty has become their substitute for beauty. In order for them to concentrate as they practice the music has to be difficult.
Too often I go to the concert and all I hear is difficulty. I am rarely moved.
