There are really only two kinds of people — those who get Mozart and those who don’t. Many of those who don’t brazenly pretend to be Mozart experts — even taking to performing his music while holding him in contempt, using the music as some sort of victory banner, so to speak. They arrogantly seem to think that they can do so without consequence. After all, Mozart is the one who is dead, isn’t he? they think. Many of those who detest Mozart are, in fact, extremely knowledgeable about his life and music. They can tell you great detail about both — while missing the point of the unique position Mozart really represented.
But now, at this time in the history of music, the two camps have separated. Just as the I35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis in 2007, the bridge of confusion seeming to connect the two groups has been destroyed. Those who genuinely love Mozart and his music are protected by the glorious sound of die zauberflote; those who do not are camped on the other side — they get to face the cacaphony of the Night Magician and what one called his ‘riding-crop voice’ and try to pretend their lives will not be affected. They sometimes even seeth with rage and grit their teeth as they try to find someway to escape the fate they are starting to understand that they may have brought upon themselves.
And so, this is the essence of Minnegeddon, pre-MO lockout and MinnegeddonPartDeux, post lockout. MinnegeddonPartDeux also includes in its scope the lockout of the Other Mozart by the cadre “Monostatos”, which has grown to include, it appears, those who attempted to turn the bridge tragedy into art, as well as a couple of area musical groups and some schools. Hopefully, by now all of those who are truly anti-Mozart are unmasked, so those around them can see for themselves what they are dealing with. And perhaps for some there will be a bit of chastening, and a return to the glowing shelter of die zauberflote…
Le Chant du Rossignol...(song of the nightingale) 