Klarinet Archive - Posting 000163.txt from 1998/08

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Clarinet/Young People
Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 22:09:12 -0400

On Tue, 4 Aug 1998, Jason Hsien wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> Okay, maybe I'm confused. Are you accusing those who enjoy popular music
> "uneducated"? if so, I must be one of the most uneducated people in the
> world. Let's forget college, I'm going to McDonalds.

Now where did it say that Jason? I said that advertisers choose stations
which play non-classical music (like Rap) because the most amount of
people listen to that. I believe that people do not enjoy classical music
because they have not been educated or trained to appreciate what it is -
a very complex musical form. Rap is not complex, nor is it lasting. No
one said you are uneducated if you listen to it. By the way, I LIKE
McDonald's.....I wonder what YOU are trying to say.

>
> Yes, all music is a social function, including classical, but just because a
> genre of music is popular doesn't mean that people don't enjoy it for what
> it is, or that it doesn't have complex origins, basis, form, harmony,
> structure, rhythmic and melodic development.

I disagree with your contention that all classical music is a social
function.....it is not. The Rite of Spring, Mahler 8, etc. are certainly
not social works....neither are the works of Webern, and Schoenberg! Your
conclusion regarding enjoyment for what it is has nothing to do with what
I said. I listen to rock n roll.........doesn't mean I don't enjoy it!
No one said anything about popular music not having a basis in complex
origins....I just said it is not complex......and it is not.

> And, just because society appreciates a different type of music than what
> you personally enjoy doesn't mean that your type of music is any better or
> that society hasn't tried your music and given it a chance.

It isn't my music Jason.........and I didn't say it is better. I said
that people don't appreciate it because they don't understand it....and
they don't understand it because they have not been educated in it. Try
not to draw conclusions that are based on poor logic and
misrepresentation.

> Granted, there are those who never gave classical a chance and just went
> straight out and vowed never to listen because it was "obviously bad, old
> fogey music" and listened to popular styles because "it was the socially
> accepted thing". Those people are uneducated, but mainstream music lovers
> can appreciate many forms of music, and just because classical isn't their
> cup of coffee doesn't make it anymore or any less a type of music.

What do you mean by "mainstream music"? Could it be that you are
prejudice here?

> All music
> should be judged on an even playing field

why?

, and it is not fair to call any
> music educated or uneducated.

Sure it is.......!

There could be slack-jawed yokels who love
> classical and hate popular music and there could be high class CEOs who
> have an affinity for popular, detesting classical.

They are the exception to the rule (the "slack-jawed yokels" that is).
Name ten!

> Again, this is my argument in response to the way I interpreted your letter,
> and I apologize if this isn't a response to your meaning.

If you are apologizing, I would suggest you re-read everything I wrote,
everything you wrote....and next time, just don't send the message. You
conflict with your own message!

Roger Garrett
IWU

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