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Friday, October 25, 2002

Critic was dead-on on Elvis

Thank you for the fantastic piece on Elvis Costello (Oct. 18). The 12 "reasons" Ed Masley listed were dead-on, and I think only space limitations kept him from having more.

Your article nailed the very essence of what makes Costello such a great artist: his passion and emotion, for sure, but most of all, his lyrics. He definitely is, as you put it, "the man who never met a phrase he couldn't turn."

I have been a Costello fan for many years, albeit having come to discover his music comparatively late in life. Yet that led me to discover that as brilliant as he is on his later records (my first was "Brutal Youth"), that brilliance extended back to his very first offering. It's no accident that I have more Costello discs in my collection than those of any other artist.

I can only hope that your terrific article will help to do what I've attempted for years now -- open many more eyes and ears to this truly talented artist. Again, thank you.

BRIAN WOOLEY
Orlando, Fla.

Elvis and excellence

Ed Masley's piece on Elvis Costello (Oct. 18) was one of the best articles I've ever read on the man. His choices of albums were excellent, and the brief descriptions of each, excellent.

JEFF DEMERLY
Lafayette, Ind.

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Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is a hazard to families

The Pittsburgh International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival is under way. Reports indicate this year's festival is focusing on the "family." Sounds "nice," but what does it mean to the children being raised in such "families"?

Members of the homosexual community are becoming more vocal as they push for the right to raise children and claim their "families" are no different than others. Is this true or is there an effort under way to try to normalize a dangerous lifestyle? A lifestyle in which those involved are not born that way, but have made a conscious decision to become a part of this destructive behavior. Homosexual activity will not result in children, but the lifestyle must perpetuate itself in some way. What better way than to raise children and convince them that "gay is OK"?

When one reads that the Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival "emphasizes love and family" one has to wonder: What is it costing our children? What will be the long-term effects upon children raised by same-sex couples? What will be the effect on future generations? What will it cost our society? What will it cost Pennsylvanians right now?

DIANE GRAMLEY
President,
American Family Association of NW PA

Coffee-can percussion

An "all-kazoo orchestra"? How prophetic! I noticed at Friday's concert, in the piece "Asyla" by Thomas Ades, the percussion section had been reduced to having three instruments that were made from tin cans; one prominently said "Maxwell House," another appeared to have a Kraft logo, and, even with binoculars I couldn't read the third, but it might have been a Folgers coffee can.

Clearly they are no longer able to afford real percussion instruments. Well, we know that at least they won't be an "all-kazoo" orchestra ... the percussion section will be able to use coffee cans!

JOSEPH M. NEWCOMER
Point Breeze

Get adventurous with composers

I have read in your publication over the last several years a number of letters that give various reasons as to what is wrong with the Pittsburgh Symphony. I would like to add one more reason as to what is wrong with our symphony orchestra and with classical music generally: THERE IS NO SENSE OF ADVENTURE OR DISCOVERY!

There is a general dislike and lack of belief in 20th-century classical composers. Neither the conductor nor the orchestra nor those few who attend have a serious interest in most of the music written in the 20th century.

The simple question is: If the orchestra or the concert-goers don't believe in the music written in the last 100 years, how do we convince those between 15 and 45 that classical music is worth the effort?

Tiny tot concerts that play Mozart don't do the job. The youth (and they are the ones who count) in looking for various art forms need a sense of newness and discovery. If we feed them only tonal 18th- and 19th-century music as the classical music of the 20th and 21st century, then it is a relic and cannot attract those who respond to vibrant, modern pop music.

Since 1960, popular music has had a sense of involvement and power that gives the youth of today a sense of adventure and discovery. Classical music can't compete by offering Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, etc. If we don't want to hear contemporary composers, then we are stultifying the music. If we don't believe that contemporary classical composers have something to say to us, how can we convince our children that it has something to say to them?

I have, in my collection, a list of more than 60 20th-century composers who almost never get a hearing in Pittsburgh. Whatever their merit, if we cannot hear them, then they are meaningless and so is classical music. Simply giving money to the Pittsburgh Symphony is not be the answer. Heinz Hall will still be filled only when Yo-Yo Ma is in town.

GEORGE K. HANNA
Burgettstown

No special treatment for local artists

I would like to comment on Joe Pauley's "Struggles of local theater" (Feedback, Oct. 18), and the PG's On the Arts article by William O'Donnell (Oct. 6) concerning the lack of opportunities for local artists.

Tracy Brigden is under no obligation to continue an initiative formerly made with theatrical groups. Brigden was hired to lead City Theatre into another era of producing professional theater, not necessarily to maintain the status quo. Brigden came to City Theatre with top-notch credentials and took a year assessing the situation. It's a shame that theatrical groups will no longer be able to rent City Theatre space. However, it is Brigden's foremost prerogative to decide what is in the best interest for City Theatre.

The PG should not be in the business of over-promoting community theaters expecting free publicity. Perhaps community groups should appoint a bellwether to assist them in providing theater for their own communities and stop worrying about how "wide the audience" can be.

I feel that it is the PG's business to keep readers informed about and to report on theatrical events that are of significance, including productions in New York or at the Shaw Festival. Pauley may not be able to afford to travel elsewhere to see theater, but many readers of the PG can.

As far as lamenting a lack of opportunities for local artists, it's sad when anyone cannot find a job. But wouldn't there have to be a zillion theaters and patrons to support everyone who wants to work in the theater?

RONALD NECHEFF
Shadyside

'Boondocks' is filth

I found "The Boondocks" cartoon that ran in the Oct. 13 edition to be particularly offensive (to put it mildly). Likening our president to Adolf Hitler is unspeakable. Then to take it to such an absurd extreme as to insinuate that President Bush was somehow forced on us through anything other than a free election is insulting.

Aaron McGruder needs to review the facts before he insults anyone, especially President Bush, who I feel is doing an outstanding job. He has been nothing but an inspiration, leading us during these trying times since Sept. 11. Your dropping his cartoon from the comics would be a minimal reaction to his filth.

GARY J. GRAHAM
Plum

Thanks for running 'Boondocks'

"The Boondocks" comic strip regarding Bush and Hitler (Oct. 13) was one of the funniest and cleverest I had read in years. The way in which two current topics were brought together with an unexpected twist was particularly ingenious.

It's a shame that many readers of the strip across the country have lashed out against it and have called for its discontinuance, without understanding the original statement upon which it was based. The German Minister of Justice reportedly commented that Bush was planning war on Iraq to divert attention away from economic problems at home, adding that this was a common tactic used by many leaders, including Hitler. I did not construe the comic strip to be a comparison between Bush and Hitler as persons or a trivialization of Hitler's evil, but rather took it for what it was -- political humor. In my opinion, the humor in the strip transcended party lines and would have been just as funny had the subject been Clinton, instead of Bush.

Thank you for not succumbing to the censor's pen, unlike at The Washington Post. The fact that we can read controversial comic strips helps to make yours "One of America's Great Newspapers" and ours an extraordinary country.

THOMAS S. CHANG
Fox Chapel