Music "Renditions" - and Torture

Here is something that I wanted to post in this blog already a few months ago - but as I wanted to post it, my computer crashed... and I then never had the time to post this again. But now I have a bit time, and so here it is:

Those people with a "web presence" (like me, for example) who have webpages and get referenced, often show a bit vanity: it makes us feel nice when a Google search with our name (jargon: "ego-surfing") brings up some meaningful results. But of course there is a reason other than plain vanity: I am just curious who else links to me, and I want to ensure that all the info out there is correct. So once in a while, I do this "ego-surfing" (I recommend you try this too with your name!), and among other things, I found that besides me there is another Reinhold Behringer (in Munich), and there is a bicycle store owned my someone with my name.

Some of you may know that I have an interest in classical music on synthesizers: in the last 10 years I created a few "MIDI files" for orchestral works, which could be played on a synthesizer. In our little online group which was around at that time ("Classical Music Makers"), we decided to use the name "rendition" for these type of MIDI works: this should indicate that a MIDI file would not just have notes in it like a score, but also have some interpretative additions, trying to create a pleasing performance. So a few months ago I searched for my name plus the term "rendition" - sometimes there were comments to those renditions, and I was curious to read them.

So I did the Google search for these terms, and at first did not find much new. But then I saw the headline "Marc Cooper » Blog Archive » Redefining Torture", and somewhere in the description a reference to me and my music: someone obviously found my music so horrible that it could be used as a torture instrument! I was now very curious to read that article. Ok, that served me right - exposing my little attempts at creating music just revealed my lack of talent, and it would probably have been better not to publish the music.

As I read the article, I realised that the term torture was not really in reference to my music (I was relieved!), but that the blog was in general about "renditions" and how that term has gotten a new meaning, relating to "extraordinary renditions" and the US foreign policy. A lady with name Eleanore Kjellberg had posted there an interesting post, mentioning my music as a positive example of renditions. Thank you, Miss Kjellberg! I tried to find her email address to send her a friendly relpy - after all one must take care about the fan base! But I could not find her... so if you, Miss Eleanore Kjellberg, happen to read this, please accept my thanks for your nice comments!