Very Off Topic: Classical Music!

[Illyich]

As I sit here listening to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, I am overcome with the need to post something about 'clasical' music. I say 'classical' because, while that is the name usually given to the entire genre, classical only refers to the period of time from a little before 1750 (regardless of what history books say) to about the early 1800s. Before classical comes Renaissance and Baroque, while after we have the Romantic Era.

Either way, I think it's a shame that we as a nation (I'm talking about the US) listen to so little art music (that's the appropriate term for 'classical' music). Sure, you've probably seen the Pump-it-Up Nike commercial featuring Vivaldi's "Winter", a while ago there was a father running in slow motion down a hallway with a plunger to Mozart's "Requiem", and even Bowling for Columbine has the Alla Marcia section of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. How often, though, do you or your friends/coworkers/family listen to art music voluntarily?

I (and a few million other people) believe that the arts are extremely important to not only being a well-rounded individual, but it really increases one's overall level of happiness. Personally, I was one of those Oh-my-God-I-hate-myself-and-the-world fifteen year olds until I discovered music. I am currently a music major in college and having a great time working on my own compositions.

So, here's my question(finally!): How many of you listen and enjoy art music on a regular basis? Perhaps between rock albums? While going to sleep? First thing in the morning?

P.S.: If anyone is interested in learning more about music (because I feel music theory/appreciation only increase one's enjoyment of art music), feel free to drop me a line by email or even aim.

[Glenn Cain]

gee isn't this post suppose be in the graveyard? let's try "air for g string" by bach in the background while my necro is watching my skele slice and make things fall. isn't it pure oxymoron by juxtaposing two completely opposite atmosphere?

i'm a flautist, how about you?

[TheKbob]

I just need to get some guitar lessons... *slaps in some Greend day*

That's my kind of classical :rolleyes:

~Kbob

[EE40ozToFreedom]

i agee totally how its sad how classical music is totaly thrown at with todays youth. I'm 15 and i play guitar and love playing classical music like segovia and stuff. i really dont get whats with the im so depressed image a lot of bands and people who think their listening to talents music put on, most of them dont know what depression really is.

[EuroJamie]

I'm all for people being into classical music, and it's certainly something I would like to explore further myself (I know a bit, however not as much as you would appear to, going by your post).

However, while I applaud your enthusiasm, and agree that there are many people out there who would thoroughly enjoy such music if they were to explore it more thoroughly, I can't help but feel that some of your reasoning is a bit flawed.

Your statement that

"I (and a few million other people) believe that the arts are extremely important to not only being a well-rounded individual, but it really increases one's overall level of happiness."

infers that you see "classical" music to be "the arts". Putting the issue of other art forms aside (theatre, dance, sculpture, etc); are we to read from this that you see rock, jazz, blues, rap, the wide variety of eastern music, etc, as being non-art? Classical music, as you rightly point out, is a very loose term, being frequently used to describe a broad range of western (or, rather, predominantly white) music which has evolved throughout previous centuries. While it accounts for a sizable proportion of the music which has been historically recorded, I think it is extremelty elitist, to refer to it as "the arts", as by inference you exclude other musical forms from being art. In my opinion this is actually the kind of elitism that often acts as a barrier, preventing people from accessing "classical" music, where they might otherwise do so.

You later pose the question

"How many of you listen and enjoy art music on a regular basis? Perhaps between rock albums?"

Not only does this reinforce the attitude that you express above, but I also think it is very dangerous ground to set up a binary opposition between "classical" music and more modern forms. My brother (a music graduate himself, incidentally), has a passion for, and an encyclopaedic knowledge of, "classical" music. He uses this to great effect in his punk band, his latest album featuring a number of brass arrangements, a string quartet, and many Shostakovich-inspired piano solos. Which of your categories does this fall into?

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I think you assume a bit too much about the tastes, interests and backgrounds of other posters on this forum. Your invitation to everybody on this forum to get in touch so that you can enlighten them on the finer points of music theory and appreciation comes off as just a wee bit patronising, as does your explanation of the misinterpretation of the term "classical" - and it's not as though the latter is a particularly closely-guarded secret.

I really don't want my post to come over as negative, so if it does I apologise. Can I please reiterate that I think it's great that you get so much out of the music you listen to, and I'm glad you are so enthused with it that you are keen to encourage other people to share the many positive experiences that you have obviously got from it. However, I think perhaps that you may want to reconsider some of your preconceptions, as I feel that some of the conclusions you have jumped to are a bit off the mark.

Thanks for the interesting and thought-provoking post

[Dark Knight]

Sorry... I really cant justify this being here.

Off Topic forum or the graveyard with it please.