response 74 of 97:

Feb 21 18:25 UTC 2000

resp:73 "There should be classes for all kinds."  That, I think, should 
be the key idea.  Perhaps I have buried my main emphasis: as a teacher, 
I would like to get more people enthusiastic about music than they 
currently are.

And perhaps I misuse Leonhard's term "elitist virus."  His concern was 
that Eurocentric music has been emphasized to the exclusion of some 
very fine music of other ethnicities and cultures, and that many music 
programs do so because directors find it easiest.

Perhaps I have a very liberal view of what music is about, but that's 
because I'm young, I suppose, and I still firmly believe that music is 
a celebration of life ALL along the lifespan.  I have difficulty 
completely dismissing commercial music as rubbish on the notion it's 
mostly about sex precisely because the target audiences ARE filled with 
hormones and have sex on the brain.

I don't disagree that some works are crafted much more skillfully, are 
more aesthetically pleasing, and/or make a stronger sociopolitical 
statement than others.  I do believe, however, that as an art form, 
music will bear the psychological mark of the age group it is intended 
for, the social context of the times, and the things the composer 
wishes to express.  Therefore, I think in cultural terms, music has not 
changed in application and purpose-- I do understand that most any time 
period had pop tunes of some sort (yes, even the Classical and Baroque 
eras, which I may be able to cite some information on).

What's also interesting-- although I would never teach this to a high 
school class-- is that the idea of sex and drugs in music is hardly 
new.  One story about J.S. Bach was that he would conduct organ 
recitals in a three-part fashion.  The first part was to play the music 
straight with no ornamentation.  The second part was to go down to the 
nearest tavern to hoist a few during intermission.  The third part was 
to play the music again with ornaments while inebriated.  Many other 
great composers fell to wine, women, and song frequently-- Mozart, I 
believe, was one of them.  (Wine, women, and song-- hrm, okay, so it's 
sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll now?)

Of course, I think many of us know about jazz musicians and marijuana.

Don't get me wrong-- I will freely admit to what music I consider well 
made, what I consider frivolous fun, and what is drivel that I think 
will die soon.

We agree on many things, but I think we express some things 
differently.  I continue to advance the notion that most all music can 
be enjoyed to a degree.  Again, I find it interesting that the great 
Mozart enjoyed the common music he heard in taverns.