Furious at a friend- Piano is outdated

[gradedpiano]

Hi everyone. Today I was having a conversation wit my friend regarding what our school needs in the main hall to fill the space in it. I suggested a grand piano so live music could be performed by me, the school orchestra or anyone else wanting to play. My friend then said that it was a terrible idea and that Piano and Music as a subject was outdated and boring. I was absolutley furious at his comment and made sure i let him know. Does anyone find this comment made my by friend slightly offensive towards us as students, and towards the great composers of the past, and present, who write brilliant pieces and deserved to be recognised even today. Without the likes of Bach, Mozart, beethoven etc music may never have evolved to what it has today. Even the beatles have set the mark for many other brit pop bands today and music has eveloved from them. Thanks for listening to my rant and I would love to hear your views on the subject.

[djealnla]

Hi everyone. Today I was having a conversation wit my friend regarding what our school needs in the main hall to fill the space in it. I suggested a grand piano so live music could be performed by me, the school orchestra or anyone else wanting to play. My friend then said that it was a terrible idea and that Piano and Music as a subject was outdated and boring. I was absolutley furious at his comment and made sure i let him know. Does anyone find this comment made my by friend slightly offensive towards us as students, and towards the great composers of the past, and present, who write brilliant pieces and deserved to be recognised even today. Without the likes of Bach, Mozart, beethoven etc music may never have evolved to what it has today. Even the beatles have set the mark for many other brit pop bands today and music has eveloved from them. Thanks for listening to my rant and I would love to hear your views on the subject.

I don't care how offensive my post may be, but your friend is an idiot.

[stevebob]

I don't care how offensive my post may be, but your friend is an idiot.

Yeah, it seems like his statement was more smug and stupid than offensive.  It reminds me of when a co-worker once told me, in a predictably haughty tone of voice, "vegetarianism is just a fad."  That was 30 years ago, and I'm still following that "fad."

People's assertions about what is a fad or is passé are self-serving and assume a shared concern for whether an activity or an interest is "popular."

[gradedpiano]

very true, im a vegetarian and I have been throughout my entire life

[becky8898]

The piano isnt outdated , it justs requires hard work and you have to use your brain.  Oh wait maybe alot of the brain dead fat people think the piano is dead because they would have to get off there bottoms and actually do something. My friend mei Lee in hong kong tells me there are like a gazillion great players there.  The piano is more alive than ever just think about the whole planet. 

I think a new Grand piano in your school is a wonderful idea.  Push for a 9 foot steinway with school officials and when they  say they cant afford it, comprise and suggest a Yamaha . I do that with my dad all the time.  When I need 20 dollars I always ask for 40. Sometimes I even get 30.

Cheers, Becky

[bachbyte]

I think you should just ignore your friend. Piano is an amazing instrument that requires a large amount of true commitment to play well, and music can never be outdated. Your friend obviously doesn't realise how important piano is to you, and to loads of other people as well. I think a grand piano for your school is a great idea, most of the pianos at my school are really terrible (all in different ways!) but we have a grand piano in our school hall and it is beautiful, it is a real privelege for students to play it and for other people to listen.

[pianist1976]

Your friend is not an idiot, he is just an ignorant. Ignorance is very courageous and it's an amazing force that pushes people to talk with a great self-confidence about what they doesn't know.

If I was you, I'd try to make see him the beauties of piano music and that the so called "classical" music is not boring at all  

[jimbo320]

Bet your friend isn't good in math either....

[monkeydudexd]

I think your friend is entitled to his own opinion. However, the comment seems ignorant. He probably hasn't heard GOOD piano music or is just making an assumption. If he dislikes it for a good reason, fine. But let him know that works by classic composers (Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, etc) are timeless. Always will be.

[lizzie3]

I think your friend is entitled to his own opinion, it's not a personal insult to find our passion boring - don't you find certain hobbies boring? I certainly do.

When people express a view that shocks/offends you don't get angry with him but just ask him  why he beleives it, consider his opinion (ACTUALLY consider it) and discuss or debate the topic. If if truly was an ignorant remark then he won't be able to respond. But you might be surprised and find he has a good reason for his remark.

[caioramos]

I think your friend is entitled to his own opinion, it's not a personal insult to find our passion boring - don't you find certain hobbies boring? I certainly do.

When people express a view that shocks/offends you don't get angry with him but just ask him  why he beleives it, consider his opinion (ACTUALLY consider it) and discuss or debate the topic. If if truly was an ignorant remark then he won't be able to respond. But you might be surprised and find he has a good reason for his remark.

Although you are right, I think someone saying that "music as a school subject" is something outdated, I cant help myself but say he is been an idiot. Its ok for someone dont like classic or the piano, but music is something amazing to have as an option at school.

[roger_1948]

Dont be furious at your friend, feel sorry for them.  Its your friends loss. Dont get furious to easy . There are so many people in this world to get furious at. like, murders, rapists,  thugs,  etc.  Dont waste your time  on something like this.  Rather be a positive person and spread the word, play your instrument. Ecourage others. You get a much better feeling inside if you do that. 

Semper Fi, Roger

[nygiantsfan3342]

I think your friend is entitled to his own opinion, it's not a personal insult to find our passion boring - don't you find certain hobbies boring? I certainly do.

When people express a view that shocks/offends you don't get angry with him but just ask him  why he beleives it, consider his opinion (ACTUALLY consider it) and discuss or debate the topic. If if truly was an ignorant remark then he won't be able to respond. But you might be surprised and find he has a good reason for his remark.

Well said Lizzie.

I try to avoid making absolutist statements for the same reasons. God has a way of making liars out of ourselves. 

[nataliethepianist]

Oh dear, it seems now I am furious. Probably not as much as you were since I didn't here is from your friend, but it is comments like these that make me feel almost lucky. I think it takes a large amount of maturity and understanding to like classical music and the piano. I realized that classical music is so different than other genres because it lets YOU express yourself instead of listening to the lyrics of someone else expressing themselves. It lets you find out more about yourself; lets you find moods you didn't think you could feel. So ask your friend, if the subject is brought up again, why he is afraid of being himself.

- Natalie

By the way, the Piano (and yes, I had to capitalize "piano") will never be outdated as long as there is some people left in the world who know how to express themselves and not let others do so.

[cheechako4life]

I realized that classical music is so different than other genres because it lets YOU express yourself instead of listening to the lyrics of someone else expressing themselves. It lets you find out more about yourself; lets you find moods you didn't think you could feel.

Statements like that seem just as wrong to me as saying "music education is boring and outdated." You can't express yourself through improv jazz? You can't find moods in new age? Even lyrical songs can be more about the music and less about the meaning of the words. For example, I really enjoy a lot of Ladysmith Black Mambazo's (a capella) works even though I don't understand most of the words they sing.

I think the "classical vs. everything else" attitude is part of what contributes to the "piano is outdated" attitude. The amazing thing about music is that it is so incredibly diverse - it is infinite, in fact. AFAIK, many grade schools have general music education, but I don't think they have "specific classical education."
 
Sure, where would we be without Bach, Beethoven, etc.? But where would we be if it ended with them?

[nataliethepianist]

Of course everyone has their own opinions, and this is mine. I should not be pulling so much of my personal veiw into this, your right, I apologize. What I meant by this statement is that although you can learn things from other genres (and I was never downing Pop or Rap), I think Classical, and your right cheechako4life, Jazz included (infact I do improv all the time), you have a better time feeling these emotions. And take what your saying about not understanding the lyrics! I think it points to where I am pointing, saying that lyrics are not always needed to understand the song through interpretation. I was never saying Classical music should be the center of the world and every other genre should be dropped, it is just in my opinion, it is my favorite.

[dee101]

Hi!

I would definitely agree with the some the people here. Don't get so angry with your friend. Some people say he's just ignorant maybe it's true, maybe he's a bit jealous of people who can play the piano as it is an amazing and commendable skill.

I have a guy who I work with you keeps saying I listen to crap music just because I don't listen to the manufactured pop and epetitive dance music like him. I listen to indie at work but there has been many a time I'm tempted to put on the classical radio station just to annoy him some more.

But basically, just let it go. it's annoying I know but be the better person.