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Why Are There Not More Fans of Classical Music?
I am fifteen, and I think classical music is the most profoundly artistic, systematic, and technically developed of music out there. Listen to one of Chopin's ballades, Beethoven's symphonies, Scriabin's Prometheus, Handel's Messiah for example. These composers constructed pieces that are the epitome of music and have not died from existence after hundreds of years. On the other hand, popular music (Justin Bieber, Rihanna, J Cole, etc) typically consists of a repetitive simple chord structure (i.e. C, B, A, G), and a repetitive refrain and verses and dies in popularity within a few months. What is so appealing about pop as opposed to classical music?
Teddy Is Tired Of Cybercriminals and Brianna, thank you for the support. I would have liked for you to have answered my question a little more. Nonetheless, it brought a smile to know that there are more appreciators of classical music out there.
I agree with Salem Saberhagen and David.... I seem to be in an ignorant, party-hard generation, one that thrives off "You only live once, so do what you want." That is probably one of the main contributors why pop music is so revered.
Josh, as much as I appreciate your opinion, it didn't help much. Each to his own, but next time, try to answer questions instead of providing argument.
?, that's an interesting theory, that appreciators of learning music will be better appreciators of the classics, especially since I'm a pianist myself. I'll have to look into it.
suwahaksaeng, I didn't agree with some claims, especially about classical music being foreign (operas are only one subcategory) and classical music lack
suwahaksaeng, I didn't agree with some claims, especially about classical music being foreign (operas are only one subcategory) and classical music lacking "scene changes" (most pop music, like my friend Josh showed me, displays a monotonous progression of sequences). Nonetheless, the links were extremely helpful, and your answer was interesting. Thank you.
?, I don't "respect all genres." That doesn't mean I don't respect people. Touchy, touchy.
Mike, thanks for summarizing. I've had more traumatic experiences in my childhood than most adults experience in their lives, so maybe these experiences contribute to my maturity to appreciate classical music. It's also interesting that you pointed out the great literary masters (classic books are not far off from classical music), because I am also a closet Shakespeare fan. :) However, Frank Sinatra is a popular songwriter....He comes from the 1930's, but he wrote popular music, not classical music.
But . . . gave the most eloquent response that clarified the most of my question. Thank you very much.
11 Answers
- MamiankaLv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
Reports of our death have been greatly exaggerated.There are more tickets sold each year to arts events than are sold to all professional sports combined - the arts administrator of the Kennedy Center spoke at the Washington Press Club (NPR) and this was part of his speech. When people complain that concert tickets are expensive - well, the TOP seat at the Metropolitan Opera, for opening night, is about $450 Ask people what they are paying for Superbowl tickets - THOUSANDS!
As others here have said, in American and many other places, the level of society gets dumber and dumber every minute. Look at Congress - if you can stand it. Listen to the witless pablum that passes for music now on radio and TV. A top news story today will often include photos of someone's Baby Bump - the result of her relationship with a middling rapper, while she is still married to a sports star - and the top photo in views that day, is of her bovine rump in a leather skirt. Why do we have to see this, know this, hear this?
Consider what most people (in these same cultures) eat every day. They make all kinds of noises about healthy eating - but call themselves Foodies, to justify eating over-priced and not-nutritious poser-food - or they eat at some chain restaurant (fast food with a table and chairs, that's all) where the sodium content ALONE is more than one person should have in 2 days - all so the vendor can push more alcoholic drinks.
Back to music - the advent of the mp3 player and iPhones has also made people think that they can hide from the world if they just fill their player with crap and turn it up LOUD. Fine - no need to actually talk to another human being, and the problem is compounded by the increasing amount of hearing loss in most younger people. "I do not want to hear you" has now become "Seriously - CANNOT hear you anymore! So - I can ignore you!" Yet these same people think that they can take their no-talent skanky selves to an open call for American Idol or all the other shows - and are STUNNED when they do not win - because it was like, ya know, their PASSION - and they don;t need no stinkin' lessons, either! You have only to read the tweener questions in the Performing Arts of Singing YA categories, to see what I mean.
All eras throughout history have complained about "kids these days!!" - but we now see, due to much faster communication, a quickening of the downfall of society. Those of us - young and older - who value our brains, our bodies, and our culture are our own kind of Survivalists - we seek each other out, and block out the stupidity that is outside out door. My home is my haven, and we can get into our car and in a short time, be in some of the finest arm museums and concert halls in the world. So can you. Start building your personal or virtual fort/castle/monastery NOW - the barbarians are at the gate.
Source(s): Full-time professional classical music and music education employment in NY since 1973. There are still thousands upon thousands of us - you just have to find The Tribe of us - we are waiting to welcome you. - suhwahaksaengLv 78 years ago
I see the following factors as explaining why popular music is more popular than classical music.
■ Classical music doesn't give you a scene change once every 30 seconds, popular music does.
There is nothing wrong with the classical music style, and Hollywood producers realize that.
That's why they give the public the 1812 Overture and the Taco Bell Canon in bite-size doses, but don't make the public sit and watch an orchestra for two hours.
Or, on rare occasions, they give us entire compositions, but with frequent scene changes. Nobody ever said Walt Disney's Fantasia was boring.
The Italian movie Allegro non troppo is another good one.
It's probably not popular music that the public prefers, but rather the dancing girls, the blinking lights, and the fireworks.
■ Classical music is in a foreign language more often than is popular music.
Yes, I know, there have been operas composed in English at least as far back as Henry Purcell. But operas written in English have been overshadowed by French, Italian, and German opera.
And that is what most people think of when the word "opera" is mentioned.
■ Classical music prefers knowledge of music theory, popular music doesn't.
Why does the Peer Gynt Suite get selected for music appreciation classes?
Because anyone can imagine the mountain gnomes taunting Peer Gynt.
Why does the Persian Market get selected? Because everyone knows what a beautiful princess looks like.
Say what you want to about the greatness of Mozart's Symphony no. 40, but most people don't know when the music is changing from g minor to Bb major.
Which is easier for most people to understand, the exposition of a sonata movement, or rock musicians smashing guitars on the stage?
■ Classical music is instrumental more often than is popular music.
Since the average Joe Blow doesn't know g minor from Bb major, song lyrics help sustain the listener's attention.
I remember in the Sixties, there was a pop music hit in which the sound of pop corn popping was simulated.
But other than that, I don't remember any instrumental hits.
On the whole, it is only after a song becomes familiar to the general public that an instrumental setting could become popular.
Which is easier for most people to understand, g minor and Bb major, or "Baby, one more time"?
Here are some similar questions which have been posted on this forum:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=201108...
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- 8 years ago
All these answers are good (except for the one from the guy who likes techno)
But to shorten it up for you
There are not many fans of Classical music for the same reason there are not a lot of fans of Shakespeare, Van Goethe, and Lord Byron
People would prefer to read 50 shades of Grey and Hunger games.
They haven't reached that level of maturity that takes time and experience to get to.
Some are more advanced than others,
I would say a 16 year old who likes Frank Sinatra is much more appreciative of music then someone who likes that silly gangnam style song
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- Anonymous8 years ago
The bulk of society is still on level 1 musically. Beside that Chopin, Beethoven and Handle don't go well with drugs.
- Anonymous8 years ago
I have no idea, but as a musician myself, I love classical music too. It started out as just having my band and orchestra music on my ipod, then I broadened my musical tastes. I think if more people learned to play an instrument, they would appreciate classical music more.
Source(s): Clarinetist and flautist. - Ferret LadyLv 58 years ago
Because most aren't .. Mentally matured enough to appreciate music that doesn't have the topic of drugs/women/sex. You sound extremely smart though, keep it up. When I was your age I felt I was the only one who enjoyed classical music.
- Anonymous8 years ago
I agree with you, 100%. Today's music is sloppy and unoriginal. Classical music is phenomenal and it is a real shame that more people don't listen to it.
- ?Lv 78 years ago
Personally I find it lacks emotion. For me (sorry to everyone I'll insult) it is simply elevator/film music and nothing more. I'll openly admit I know virtually nothing about music theory and I'm sure it is very complicated, but to me a piano breakdown in say an uplifting trance track sounds better and is FAR more emotional than classical music. This guy is probably one of my favourite (big-name) trance producers. Here's one of his tracks with his trademark classical breakdowns:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACFwKYEC5rw
Overall this track is quite boring, but skip to around 2:20 for the classical breakdown. On its own classical music bores me, but with atmospheric pads, uplifting synths and beautiful sweeps (sorry for the bad example track) it becomes something special.
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So yes, I probably don't appreciate classical music as much as people such as yourself partly because I don't play an instrument.
- 8 years ago
It's all music, and no genre is superior. We all just have different tastes. People should respect all genres, and more importantly, all listeners of other genres, but people like what they like and no one should feel deficient.