What is wrong with a society that consistently denigrates and mocks one of the true achievements of mankind. Why do we feel consistently inclined to mock people who choose to spend years of their lives investing their entire beings to know the unknowable. Music is one of God's great gifts, and over time their have been men and women who have devoted themselves to the skillful (key word here) construction of music. I am consistently amazed that people who consider (and sometimes are) themselves reasonably intelligent people will ridicule classical music. Now, admittedly I am biased in this case (horribly so, in point of fact). I grew up with classical music - I get classical music - I love classical music. But!!!!! that doesn't mean that you should ignore what I'm saying here. I'm not saying that you need to like it. I'm completely fine with you not enjoying classical music and with you not understanding it. Frankly, if everyone 'got' classical music it wouldn't be a hard thing to be a musician. But why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, do you feel the need to mock the music or the musicians? Really, for those people who have actually taken the time to understand what they're talking about your just making yourself look like an idiot. The level of complexity in the philosophy, technical details, performance details, history, and performers far surpasses anything that the 'pop' realm has ever offered. There's a reason that its called a 'fine art'. It's comparable to a chef and a Mcdonalds worker. Sure, your going to get fed at both of them - but one of them will fill you up with chemicals and grease, (thereby killing you) and one of them will give you a range of flavors and tastes that will satisfy your palate and your stomach, oh, and it won't lessen your lifespan either.
Now, I will confess to listen (and even enjoy) non-classical music. Some of it is even well done. (although we're discussing 10 songs out of every million - and no, thats not an exaggeration).
But just like Mcdonalds, too much is a really, really bad thing. And too much is a very small number.
And, I think that its even worse when the people mocking it are Christians. Seriously, who else in the world should tolerate and encourage things of value if not for the Christians? In fact, its strangely ironic that I'm credited with a higher degree of respect amongst secular people for being a classical musician than I am amongst the Christians that I've met.
And now its your turn. Tell me about how I shouldn't make fun of people who like something thats not cultured. Defend yourself by saying "I guess I'm just stupid". Tell me that I'm not being tolerant while preaching for tolerance.
In reply to this I say that it is never appropriate to settle for 'good enough'. It is never right to not push your mind to the limits. It is never right to mock anything that God has given to us.
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2 comments:
I'm taking a music class that is offered by our Church Music director right now. He is well-versed and really doesn't give his opinion most of the time... just the facts about the details of music. We could do this for the rest of our life times and not scratch the surface of the complexities of music. I was galled when he played a Requiem and someone said it was Catholic Music... RC's do not hold the monopoly in good music!!!!! Bach wasn't Catholic, neither was Beethoven or Mozart or Handel or Haydn... I could keep going. People don't want to listen to classical music because they associate it with High Church and snottiness. They don't enjoy it because they don't understand what the composer was trying to communicate. And they don't listen for the stories that are woven into the fabric of the music.
OK... getting down off of the soapbox!!
I like "Non-classical" music as well but there is something about even a dissonant 20th century piece that you can't get with any other kind of music.
thanks for that post. i might not say it all quite that way but i agree and i need the challenge too--we have no business "settling"
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