[Dixielandjazz] ODJB

[Don Kirkman]

On Mon, 17 Nov 2003 17:03:45 -0800, Burt Wilson wrote:


> Not sure where this is going, so I'll stop!

>Well, I'll tell you where it's going--into the metaphysical question of
>where ideas come from. Shakespeare said "There is nothing new under the
>sun" and he knew what he was talking about, so we can project from that
>that new "ideas" are new combinations of what went before. If you want to
>set a good task for your self, try thinking up an entirely new idea.
>Psychologist tell us that the more experience we have, the more our
>imagination is kindled. So, where does it come from, our imaginations or
>our musical muse?

Well, old WS wasn't always original, either.  :-)

  "What has been will be,
     and what has been done is what will be done;
   and there is nothing new under the sun."
                     Ecclesiastes 1:9

Biblical and classical idioms and allusions were everywhere in educated
Europe in Will's day.  By comparison we current day Americans seem sadly
lacking in imaginative discourse (except good jazz musicians, of
course).
-- 
Don
donkirk at covad.net