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Fantasy News Annual, v. 7, issue 1, whole no. 150, July 27, 1941
31858063099257_008
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Page Eight SPECIAL FEATURE SECTION FANTASY NEWS SCIENCE FICTION & MUSIC A Criticism and a Forecast. by Robert R. Rogers, III. [text in two columns] [first column] The relationship between music and science fiction may be a bit obscure at first, but is in reality rather close. There are two broad classifications of music - popular, and classical - with innumerable shadings from one to the other. Roughly, the difference between the two is that popular music seeks everlastingly for diversity and quick appreciation by the average listener, while classical music seeks popularity through perfection of form and content. In the case of popular music, the full depth of the piece is quickly plumbed, and it is soon on the scrap heap in favor of a newer tune. Going along from the semi-classical to the classical, we find that music to endure. Classical music, three hundred years old, is still very popular today. This is becuase it approaches perfection of form and content rather than mere novelty through new twists and edges, remaining unafraid to utilize the simplest melody as a foundation. Of course, a listener may become tired of a piece in time, but the period of time is longer the greater the piece. Today, in science fiction, as in music, there are tow man divisions. The popular form may be considered typified in AMAZING STORIES, while the classical may be considered typical of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. Opinions differ, and this discussion may not coincide with the opinions of others, but without disagreement there can be no discussion. AMAZING may be said to represent popular science fiction. As in popular music, there is the same search for the new angle, the new character, the new twist. Having once read a story, there is no enjoyment in any subsequent (next C.) [second column] rereading. Unreal people, unreal in the sense that they have only a remote connection with ordinary people who do now and will in the future populate our world, move woodenly through shallow plots. Most of the yarns are mere plot outlines and the action is geared at high speed for quick, light, easy, non-thought-provoking reading. Of course, a large proportion of active readers want just out and out adventure or trick plots mainly to pass a few dull moments on a train or bus, but others like to think about or analyze a well developed plot situation or characterization. In ASTOUNDING, however, we have apparently real people, plausibly living and working in an apparently real world. The stories seem to contain more "meat", and there is more drama in the struggle for existence as in, say "Doom Ship" by Harry Walton (AST. Jan 41) than in, say "Ben Gleed, King of Speed" by Don Wilcox (AM, Dec 39). One story in particular stands out as a classic example. It is "Locked Out" in the Feb 40 ASTOUNDING. The main character, having been locked out of his spaceship, is ashamed to signal his companions for fear they will make fun of him. This is a wonderful piece of realistic writing. Then too, there are the sociological studies presented by Malcolm Jameson in his war spaceship yarns. Kurt von Rachen with his series, and Robert A. Heinlein with his magnificent saga of the future of the earth. By assuming some unique fact to be true and basing a logical plot on this or a series of similar facts, ASTOUNDING'S authors seem to hold unquestioned leadership as creators of classical science fiction. After all, people do not always win out against (Cont. P. 11.)
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Page Eight SPECIAL FEATURE SECTION FANTASY NEWS SCIENCE FICTION & MUSIC A Criticism and a Forecast. by Robert R. Rogers, III. [text in two columns] [first column] The relationship between music and science fiction may be a bit obscure at first, but is in reality rather close. There are two broad classifications of music - popular, and classical - with innumerable shadings from one to the other. Roughly, the difference between the two is that popular music seeks everlastingly for diversity and quick appreciation by the average listener, while classical music seeks popularity through perfection of form and content. In the case of popular music, the full depth of the piece is quickly plumbed, and it is soon on the scrap heap in favor of a newer tune. Going along from the semi-classical to the classical, we find that music to endure. Classical music, three hundred years old, is still very popular today. This is becuase it approaches perfection of form and content rather than mere novelty through new twists and edges, remaining unafraid to utilize the simplest melody as a foundation. Of course, a listener may become tired of a piece in time, but the period of time is longer the greater the piece. Today, in science fiction, as in music, there are tow man divisions. The popular form may be considered typified in AMAZING STORIES, while the classical may be considered typical of ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION. Opinions differ, and this discussion may not coincide with the opinions of others, but without disagreement there can be no discussion. AMAZING may be said to represent popular science fiction. As in popular music, there is the same search for the new angle, the new character, the new twist. Having once read a story, there is no enjoyment in any subsequent (next C.) [second column] rereading. Unreal people, unreal in the sense that they have only a remote connection with ordinary people who do now and will in the future populate our world, move woodenly through shallow plots. Most of the yarns are mere plot outlines and the action is geared at high speed for quick, light, easy, non-thought-provoking reading. Of course, a large proportion of active readers want just out and out adventure or trick plots mainly to pass a few dull moments on a train or bus, but others like to think about or analyze a well developed plot situation or characterization. In ASTOUNDING, however, we have apparently real people, plausibly living and working in an apparently real world. The stories seem to contain more "meat", and there is more drama in the struggle for existence as in, say "Doom Ship" by Harry Walton (AST. Jan 41) than in, say "Ben Gleed, King of Speed" by Don Wilcox (AM, Dec 39). One story in particular stands out as a classic example. It is "Locked Out" in the Feb 40 ASTOUNDING. The main character, having been locked out of his spaceship, is ashamed to signal his companions for fear they will make fun of him. This is a wonderful piece of realistic writing. Then too, there are the sociological studies presented by Malcolm Jameson in his war spaceship yarns. Kurt von Rachen with his series, and Robert A. Heinlein with his magnificent saga of the future of the earth. By assuming some unique fact to be true and basing a logical plot on this or a series of similar facts, ASTOUNDING'S authors seem to hold unquestioned leadership as creators of classical science fiction. After all, people do not always win out against (Cont. P. 11.)
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