"The idea that classical music is elitist has become an article faith in the area of art and educational policy. It is premised on the belief that ordinary folk lack the aesthetic or intellectual resources to appreciate any experience that soars above ‘common culture’. Consequently, music apparently must be recycled in a form that can be mass-consumed."
aest...@hotmail.com
Cormac
wrote:
> http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4973/
I think it is unlikely that Handel, Vivaldi. Buxethude or J S Bach
were regarded as elitist in their times.
This concept seems to be relatively modern.
Cormac.
marika
<aest...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:407ad500-8a5f-4446...@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4973/
Then Barack Obama ought to like it fine
mk5000
"The liquor over here's stronger and I cannot stay very much
longer." --"English Tea" Langhorne Smith
Neil
wrote:
> http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4973/
A true student of music is open-minded and listens to all kinds of
music. If they like the sounds, they
enjoy it freely, devoid of censorship, unconcerned about what category
the music has been placed in.
On some level they know that there are basic theoretical and harmonic
similarities in all music.
I have often seen it happen that when a type of music that previously
had not captured someone
is presented without telling them anything about what they’re hearing,
they are able to discover the
artistic value that was always there. They are able to accept and
appreciate its uniqueness.
Many people are resistant to certain types of music because they feel
they will be associated with
what they believe are negative aspects of the culture that surrounds
it:
“You’re a nerd if you like classical music.”
“You’re a junkie if you like jazz.”
“You’re rebellious if you like rock.”
Another factor may also contribute to classical music’s narrow
following
— the prescribed formality of concerts. I once asked a student of mine
if he had gone to a San Diego Symphony performance, because I was
so enjoying the concerts I had been attending. He replied negatively
with a sigh of embarrassment. I asked him what the problem was.
Was it money? — I wanted him to know the San Diego Symphony offered
discounted
tickets to students one hour before each performance, and a specially
priced short
series for students. No, it wasn’t that. He wanted to go to concerts
very badly, but he
felt he didn’t have clothes that were nice enough! He was under the
impression that in
order to attend a symphony concert, one had to wear designer
clothes. People like him — people who are really interested in
enjoying the music — should feel welcome and comfortable in
Symphony Hall, no matter what they are wearing, because they want
to hear the music and are there for no other reason.
Neil Miller, author of The Piano Lessons Book
Enter in Amazon.com search: Neil Miller Piano Lessons Book
OR http://www.createspace.com/3332371
Pawlly Phonic
I think not. Baroque and classical composers wrote for a far smaller
proportion of the population than appreciate "classical" music now.
They wrote only for the very upper classes and whether the common man
or woman liked or understood their music was of so little importance
to anybody that we really don't know.
John W Kennedy
"Very upper classes", forsooth? I think not. Certainly not in Händel's
case -- the Queen's/King's Theatre had a capacity of approximately 950-1000.
--
John W. Kennedy
"There are those who argue that everything breaks even in this old
dump of a world of ours. I suppose these ginks who argue that way hold
that because the rich man gets ice in the summer and the poor man gets
it in the winter things are breaking even for both. Maybe so, but I'll
swear I can't see it that way."
-- The last words of Bat Masterson
bisecti...@gmail.com
wrote:
> http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4973/
Why is eletism an insult for things like music, but not for something
like sports? Perhaps if music had not almost become a spectator sport
itself?? It used to be that pretty much everyone did at least a
little music - sing or play an instrument, even if badly - but there
is a whole generation that are practically illiterate, musically
speaking. We don't dumb down football or baseball to the level of the
least competent so why do it for music?
Peter T. Daniels
Sure we do. MLB plays into the masses' desire for home runs and thinks
they're incapable of appreciating the subtleties of defensive play --
to the mastery of which the vast majority of team practice is devoted.
(I don't know anything about football.)
Cormac
> On May 1, 11:30 pm, Cormac wrote
> > I think it is unlikely that Handel, Vivaldi. Buxethude or J S Bach
> > were regarded as elitist in their times.
>
> > This concept seems to be relatively modern.
>
> > Cormac.
>
> I think not. Baroque and classical composers wrote for a far smaller
> proportion of the population than appreciate "classical" music now.
> They wrote only for the very upper classes and whether the common man
> or woman liked or understood their music was of so little importance
> to anybody that we really don't know.
12 000 people paid 2 shillings each to attend the fireworks display
and Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks. Calamity followed.
Cormac.
Allen
compulsory and he was writing for those people.
Allen
Cormac
>
> Another point re Bach: In his time church attendance was almost
> compulsory and he was writing for those people.
Since its first performance here in Dublin almost 300 years' ago,
amateur choirs and musicians have regularly performed Messiah,
attended by enthusiatic audiences.
Compulsory?
Cormac.