Carter - Feature for DLR

One of the most famous composers in America celebrated his 90th birthday last month. Elliott Carter, who was born on December 11, 1908, in New York, is respectfully referred to as "The Dean of American Music" in his own country. However, his name is at least as established in Europe. Several public radio stations in Germany have produced records with his music. The recognition the American composer enjoys in the Old World has a lot to do with his style, as Carter never shies away from an experiment. Whereas contemporaries like Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland or Leonard Bernstein wrote user-friendly music, Carter raised eyebrows as early as 50 years ago when he made the statement "To hell with the audience, to hell with the musicians." This kind of attitude can be maintained best in a place where the arts are funded by the government, such as Europe. On the other hand, Carter's music has become more playful as he advances in years. Georg Hirsch has the story.

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