Re: Bob Dylan’s 17-minute song is a work of epic genius – The Forward

[ish mailian]

In addition to the so-called Oswald Speech I linked and the Oswald
Letter I also linked, I suggest that those interested in evaluating
Dylan's latest, also turn to his two Nobel Speeches. Why? Well,
because in those speeches Dylan explains his rhetoric. He compares his
rhetoric with Shakespeare's, his songs with Shakespeare's plays. In
doing so, Dylan provides a method for evaluating this song. From his
Nobel speeches we can define what we are listening to. What is the
nature and purpose of this work? What does it say? How does it
communicate? Who is the audience? How is a rapport established with
the audience? It is effective? Are their flaws? and so on.

To evaluate it we must first determine what it is and how it works,
what it sets out to do and why. to focus on patsy or new orleans or
whatever is cool and interesting, thank you, but to say a work is a
work of genius after a day or two is kinda fanboy silliness.

That said, I love the fanboy excitement about Dylan. I'm a huge
fangirl myself so


On Fri, Apr 3, 2020 at 8:31 AM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Full Disclosure: I have not read this nor anything but we Pynchon listers
> on "Murder Most Foul"---I am greatly enjoying being educated by Thomas E
> and others-- and will keep it that way until I listen more and write some
> more but it was sent by a friend and maybe y'all DO want to read it?
> Even though I ALSO called it a masterpiece based on little but a few images
> and my own hot air.
>
> Enjoy and listen to it again. You ought to remember the day you first
> listened for your own posterity.
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: Howard Wachtel <wachtel at american.edu>
> Date: Fri, Apr 3, 2020 at 8:19 AM
> Subject: Bob Dylan’s 17-minute song is a work of epic genius – The Forward
> To: Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>
> Cc: Howard Wachtel <wachtel at american.edu>
>
>
> https://forward.com/culture/music/443087/no-youre-wrong-bob-dylans-17-minute-song-is-a-work-of-epic-genius/
> --
> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l