how apreciated are classical music?

[casparma]

before I ask the question, what is the definition of classical music? esp for piano..

The only thing I know is that the term relates to the music in the period of Beethoven, Mozart, Liszt, Bach, Chopin, etc...


now to the point, the pupils in my class dont apreciate classical music at all.. they love pop, rock, or modern piano musics....

What's the point of playing classical music when so many people find it archaic, or even detest it (some of my classmates do)...


any one?

thx for opining

[lufia]

choose the right ones. ther are a heap of classical pieces that every loves.
wher to begin....
fur elise
moonlight sonata
nocturne in e flat
bla bla, people in my class lub-a-it]
bwqhahahhahaha if you play something like those long boring or pieces that dont have a nice melody, people will hate it . it takes time to understand it.

In class my teacher put in music from the expressionism period and people starting throwing papers and all sort of things, a chair too  at the cd player hahahahhaa, everyone felt like burning down the school 

[rc]

now to the point, the pupils in my class dont apreciate classical music at all.. they love pop, rock, or modern piano musics....

What's the point of playing classical music when so many people find it archaic, or even detest it (some of my classmates do)...

This sometimes bothers me. I'm learning all this music and only my music teacher and my dad really listens. I was a bit taken when my friends used my playing as background for conversation.

I look at it as a challenge to try and get these people to listen and appreciate, despite the bias (it's so old). I also remind myself it took me a while to appreciate classical music and I was like that once too.

A few things I've learned about the audience:

Choose a good time to play. Playing for peers while the conversation's flowing won't work so well as to play when the conversation is lagging. Don't even try playing if there's a TV on in the room ( )

People like what they're familiar with. As lufia said, pick the songs everyone knows and they'll respond better.

Certain repertoire is a better ice-breaker so to speak. This is a cultural thing. Beethoven is very accessible to modern audience. Intense, moody Beethoven works better than cheerful Haydn. Bach fugues are hard to listen to for the uninitiated.

A little background information helps. Let them know what to listen for. Program music is good in this way, if it's based on something else it gives the listener something to visualize and is easier to get into. You could probably get away with making up a story for absolute music, but I think that's in bad taste... Like how the 'Moonlight' got its misnomer.

It is frustrating when nobody is interested in hearing what you want to share with them. Gotta play it smart, we're up against cultural bias here!

[dolcejen]

I think that most people today do not appreciate classical music because they don't understand it, and they're not willing to take time to understand it. So much of today's music is rhythm oriented, and people seem to only understand music in terms of the language the beat is communicating. Classical music is mostly oriented around melodies and harmonies and the message that those communicate. Obviously rhythm is a part of that but not the primary part. In order to understand and appreciate classical music they must "learn the lingo" of it. It takes time and effort to understand it (another thing that seems to be foreign to our culture today) but it is WELL worth the effort. I am finding that the more I try to understand and appreciate classical music I find more and more beauty in it - a deep soulful beauty that cannot be found in todays pop music (which is often sappy, corny, and fake). These are my rambling thoughts... sorry if they don't make sense.
-dolce

[aya_heller]

I think one should play for themselves, before playing for others.  If you like classical music, play it.

People who detest classical music for the most part have no real reason, cause they never ever listen to it.  They are usually just very stupid and ignorant. =P  Who wants to impress these people anyway?  I don't care much for impressing idiots.  The only people worthy of listening to somebody play classical music are people who understand and enjoy it.

I know a lot of people who sometimes say they WISH they listened to classical music.  I get very excited when I talk about it, and my friends say that sometimes they feel stupid and uncultured because they don't have any idea what I'm talking about. 

[messiah]

Classical music refers to music that falls into Baroque(17th Century), Classical(18th Century), Romantic(19th Century) period and also 20th century music. Which means music composed either by Bach, Mozart, Chopin or Messian......etc. Classical music for piano is the same as classical music of all kinds.

[rc]

People who detest classical music for the most part have no real reason, cause they never ever listen to it.  They are usually just very stupid and ignorant. =P  Who wants to impress these people anyway?  I don't care much for impressing idiots.  The only people worthy of listening to somebody play classical music are people who understand and enjoy it.

I know a lot of people who sometimes say they WISH they listened to classical music.  I get very excited when I talk about it, and my friends say that sometimes they feel stupid and uncultured because they don't have any idea what I'm talking about. 

There are actually people out there who detest classical music?

I've met people who thought classical music was gay. They're easy enough to deal with, "nope" is all it's ever taken to put an end to that.

There's no reason for someone to feel stupid or uncultured about not liking classical music, it could be said that classical music has never been popular in the way that pop music is today.

There is one thing that a person could detest about classical music come to think of it... Snobs. I know these exist. Now I hate to pick on you, hopefully you won't be too offended, but:

The only people worthy of listening to somebody play classical music are people who understand and enjoy it.

is a snobby thing to say. Coupled with talking to people about things they know nothing about, makes me understand why you've experienced people who detest classical music and I've never.

[meli]

I know how you feel, the younger generation (and old too!) now don't seem to appreciate classical music that much. I loved classical music since young, but could not share it with anyone except my teacher . I admit it but sometimes now I feel like why should I waste my time learning classical, why not jazz or modern music cause that's what everyone likes right? Although I feel its good to learn and keep up with the times, I still think classical music is more challenging to learn and listen to. It just grows on you the more you listen to it! Anyway, in my younger days, there was a sort of stigma attached to classical music that its for 'snobs' or 'intellectuals' or is 'difficult'. I believe deep down, they have a desire to learn what classical music is all about, so I guess its important to have a good teacher that can pass on this enthusiasm for classical music to the young.  A good piece usually does the trick.

[zheer]

I gess you are not a teacher but a student, if thats the case well i know haw you fell. Firstly classical music is academic and regarded as intellectual,secondly it is expensive learning an insrument, hence learning classical music, thirdly it is older people who appretiate classical music hence it is not cool to be a calssical musician. I gess you should do what i do, which is to listen to everything and not abandon your love for classical music, classical music is so varied and wounderful that it will take i life time to scratch its surface.Most people are not aware of that.

[casparma]

One thing always make me unnerving about classical music is this:

Think of visual art, many people agree that Leonardo Da Vinci's work is terrific...

but that's the end of it..

any other who draw in the same style as him is not widely apreciated...

samething for music,
Mozart is acknolegded a great musical genius but most of my classmates dont apreciate his music despite he's a genius..

So, what's the point of classical music?? what makes it special, unique, intellectual... what are we trying to understand from learning classical music???

[prometheus]

That's the problem of visual art. People just accept Da Vinci's Mona Lisa as a terrific work because they don't know better.

Same in classical music.

The point?

There is no point. Well, the point is organising sound in terms of melody, harmony and rhythm for the sake of organisation, for the sake of music.

Sure, Mozart was a genius. But I don't appreciate it either.

[zheer]

I would say we have 2 ways of understanding classical music, the first is on a instinctive level ie music appretiation,it may have some theraputic quality, hence calming or stimulating effect. Secondly on a intellectual level, hence understanding the musical language,its progression and its history. However classical music came into my life as a form of therapy ,comfort and escaypizim.
Why is classical music special you ask, well its appretiated by people in all walks of life, it has stood the test of time and will continue to do so.

[jehangircama]

what the general public calls classical music is actually a collection of various different periods. the baroque, with Bach as its most famous composer, the classical period with Mozart and Haydn, then beethoven leading into the romantic. amongst the romantics u have Chopin, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, etc. late romantic coincides with the coming of the russians- prok, balakirev, tchaik, rach, scriabin, stravinsky, etc. impressionism has debussy as its main head. then you have post impressionism or modern.
classical music is what bernstein said should be called correct music. it has a set of rules and regulations- guidelines given by the composer to the performer. but for me it is more moving and comforting than anything else. and as zheer said, it has stood the test of time. classical(correct) music is TIMELESS and brilliant, whatever some people might say.

[joachimf]

Classical music grows on you, as meli said. But you have to be interested and at least try to listen to a piece to start the adventure.
I know very few who likes classical music in my age (I'm 16). Actually I know none, except I know about a girl at 15 who has an incredible talent for the violin, but that's like it. The rest is adults...
In music class the teacher often plays classical music for the students, but the students don't react as bad as lufia has experienced:P Though they're not interested at all and don't take any attention to the music, they just wait and look forward till it's finished... I think it's sad, since classical music has so much depth to offer and so many varieties everyone can find something they like and once you like it you don't understand how you couldn't like it before/how you can live without it. But I think it is partly the music-teacher's fault in school as well (at least on my school), she tends to play very special pieces, or -very-  complicated pieces or baroque music. I would think the easiest route into classical music is through the romantic period, because people are moved by it more easily(this can of course be discussed:P)
But most important people must be open to classical music and at least partly interested in listening to it, to be curious of what it really is. If not, it just won't work in most cases I think..

Around me it's like: "You LIKE classical music?? Are you like... serious?"
lol, It's pretty frustrating...

To me classical music is everything, I listen to other music as well, but classical music is 90% of the music I listen to, and if I'm moody, classical is almost the only thing that works. People think Coldplay is deep and moody (don't get me wrong, I like Coldplay) though there's classical music a lot more deep, people just don't know it, and don't want to know..

[prometheus]

Classical music isn't special.

Coldplay is pretty watered down obvious stuff, nothing, shockingly, new or refreshing. May be nice to listen to though.

There is more than pop music and european classical music.

[aya_heller]

is a snobby thing to say. Coupled with talking to people about things they know nothing about, makes me understand why you've experienced people who detest classical music and I've never.

Don't worry, I'm not offended. XD I AM a snob.  Hehehe.  *I* don't know anybody personally that hates classical music, but the person who started the topic said that some of the people in their class hate classical music.  I've know people to SAY that hate it, but then soon they realize that they really don't.

I talk to people about things they don't know anything about because that is one of the only things I really love.  I try not to, but I always end up talking about classical music, and lots of the time they really don't understand.  Some people have actually tried to learn, and understand me, and they'll ask lots of questions. =P

So No.  I have never had experiences with people who hate classical music.  Don't misunderstand.

[ryan2189]

If you are in a situation where you are trying to share your love of classical music with someone who is "non-classical" start by impressing them. It is more likely that if you play something with more rigor and skill, they might appreciate it more because then they know that not all classical music is boring, which might be a preconcieved notion of theirs. Besides, these people probably have a better connection between skillful clssical music and today's music than they would with some slow and serene classical. Once they gain that appreciation, show them the "romantic" side of classical music and go from there.

[joachimf]

I completely agree!

[tocca]

When i was a kid i didn't make any difference between classical music, pop music, rock...
My parents liked classical music, and modern music and Jazz/Pop/Rock/ragtime/swing you name it. So, i grew up listening to all kinds of music.

The strange thing is, that after this childhood i've taken more and more to classical while my brother never listens to it!
A big reason is probably that i started playing Piano early.

I've tried talking to my brother from time to time, but he's stubborn about not liking it. Yet he really likes "film-music" themes from movies, i bet if i could relabel some classical music to "bla bla movie theme" he'd love it! 

A friend of mine that also stubbornly says he does'nt like classical at all always tunes in every New years day when the Newyears concert from Wien is on TV and he really enjoys it.

A big problem is that there such a huge amount of classical music, and if a "classical music doubther" just walk in a store and buy whatever classical record there's a very high risk they'll find something they wouldn't like at all.

It would be great with a radio channel playing "Easy classical", call the channel something catchy and advertise it.
Tuning in on the sole (here in Sweden) classical radiochannel often finds you listening to something which you simply cannot appreciate as a "novice" classical listener.

[allthumbs]

Greetings


Just a couple of comments to wade in on the debate….

There's no reason for someone to feel stupid or uncultured about not liking classical music, it could be said that classical music has never been popular in the way that pop music is today.

Actually, what we call ‘classical music’ today is what was the ‘pop’ (read popular) music of the time. I’m sure it wasn’t called ‘classical music’ (a label that history has put on it). I would suggest that the music of that era was just as popular then as is the music of today, just maybe not as wide spread. 

When i was a kid i didn't make any difference between classical music, pop music, rock...
My parents liked classical music, and modern music and Jazz/Pop/Rock/ragtime/swing you name it. So, i grew up listening to all kinds of music.

That’s the beauty of the child’s mind. You give them exposure to all kinds of music and they will learn to like it if it’s good music. They are unencumbered by labels and preconceived notions about such things. Good music is good music no matter what the genre.

BTW, Rap IMO is not music (I call it Rap-crap). OK, I have a bias.

Cheers

allthumbs


EDIT - As a side thought, I wonder how many pieces of 'pop' repertoire will be remembered, yet alone played/sung in 200 years from now?

Hummmmm

[rc]

Don't worry, I'm not offended. XD I AM a snob.  Hehehe.  *I* don't know anybody personally that hates classical music, but the person who started the topic said that some of the people in their class hate classical music.  I've know people to SAY that hate it, but then soon they realize that they really don't.

I talk to people about things they don't know anything about because that is one of the only things I really love.  I try not to, but I always end up talking about classical music, and lots of the time they really don't understand.  Some people have actually tried to learn, and understand me, and they'll ask lots of questions. =P

So No.  I have never had experiences with people who hate classical music.  Don't misunderstand.

I see, heh.

I know what you mean about talking about music. From time to time I have to stop myself from accidentally giving a lecture to my friends, after seeing that look in their eyes of politely trying to listen... 

Actually, what we call ‘classical music’ today is what was the ‘pop’ (read popular) music of the time. I’m sure it wasn’t called ‘classical music’ (a label that history has put on it). I would suggest that the music of that era was just as popular then as is the music of today, just maybe not as wide spread.

Yeah, what sometimes irks is how the word classical can be referred to as a genre or the era.

That's what I'm getting at, art music not being as widespread as simpler folk music. I'm not so well read on the history, but my understanding is that baroque and classical music were typically available to the nobility or church, becoming more widespread as the middle class emerged.

I also remember hearing on the radio about how when phonograph recording was being developed the only musicians they could find  to record were the classical musicians, so for a long time the only recordings available were of classical music, and that was a sort of widespread 'golden age' of classical music.

[jehangircama]

I know what you mean about talking about music. From time to time I have to stop myself from accidentally giving a lecture to my friends, after seeing that look in their eyes of politely trying to listen...   

same here