[linux-audio-user] New software synthesizer for Linux (free under GPL v. 2)

[Dave Phillips]

Frank Barknecht wrote:

> I wonder how people would react if an open source collective would
> write an O.S. web browser, that must not be exported to Cuba?
> (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Curious story (may be known already) : When I petitioned the MIT tech
licensing department for permission to include Csound on the first
Demudi release, we were refused because the disc was going to make its
first appearance at the ICMC in (you guessed it) Havana Cuba. Apparently
they couldn't give us permission because export of such sensitive
technology to the Commies in Cuba might have horribly drastic
consequences (remember, this refusal came *before* 9/11) and was as such
proscribed. Never mind that anyone with a net connection anywhere in
Cuba could download the source code and binaries from Bath. So much for
the IP protectors of Csound.
 
> I'm not religious at all, though, and I would never ever make music
> that praised the Lord or Jesus or Shiva or Gaia or anyone else in this
> bunch, although I'm quite impressed with some religous music from Bach
> to the Beach Boys.

<ramble>
Bach was apparently quite clear about his music all being made for the
greater glory of God. Certainly the beauties of Palestrina's masses, the
gorgeous clarity of Hildegard's plainchants or Mozart's Requiem are all
evidence that the mystery of Christianity is something considerable even
to those of us who are not Christian.

Religious music has been a fascination to many philosophers as well.
Augustine's fear of it was remarkable, and Kierkegard's impressions are
worth reading (see his notes on Die Zauberfloten [sorry about the German
spelling]). Nietzsche had much to say about its inherently ineffable
qualities, and of course Plato's famous passages in The Republic have
much to say about what must be considered the spiritual in music.
Interested readers might also want to look into similar discussions
about music in writers such as Hazrat Inayat Khan, Dane Rhudyar, and Lou
Harrison.

Interesting subject, probably 'way off-topic...
</ramble>
 
> So I didn't download zynaddsubfx, it looks similar to SSM anyway.

I'm planning to test it later today, it looks like fun.

Best regards,

== Dave Phillips

	The Book Of Linux Music & Sound at http://www.nostarch.com/lms.htm
	The Linux Soundapps Site at http://linux-sound.org