Comments on: Artificial Divisions in Music

By: Elaine

Elaine — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:01:24 +0000

Okay, sorry Ludwig. I’ll take your advice and try to listen to Mahler with a more objective ear. Hopefully my ear will hear the word.

By: Ludwig

Ludwig — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 01:38:28 +0000

elaine-please not to think i like mahler only, also bach i love. you and duncan say mahler is extravagence but it may be the listening that is not correct. please hear the word and not only the vouice.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:26:50 +0000

Well this is a piece of Bach. And I’m just putting the link on here because I like it:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-F1tgImEymU
But I did want to start off a new thread about the assumption that classical music is classical because it’s complicated. This music isn’t complicated but it’s of the highest aesthetic value and it’s beautiful in its simplicity. Message to Limerent Ludwig, by the way: the deepest emotional gestures can be made by humble little pieces like this. One doesn’t need the extravagancies of a Mahler.
And Duncan, I hope I’ve shown I don’t have a prejudice against transcriptions.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:06:19 +0000

Yes, she’s stunning. I didn’t realise that the ukulele could sound so good. But I do love this piece of music. I like Santana’s rock version too.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 00:01:53 +0000

I think more important than the piece of music was the astonishing performance that cuts through divisions, artificial or otherwise.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:11:02 +0000

But click on this link to a video on YouTube:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QxsPrVa7yv0
This is a young girl playing a tune on the ukulele that was originally recorded by Santana. Might there be some people who would listen to, and enjoy this piece just as a result of it having been arranged for an acoustic instrument?

By: Elaine

Elaine — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:01:00 +0000

I think you might be right.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:43:09 +0000

Perhaps not. Divisions in music reflect the preferences of individuals and therefore are real and living to the preferees, no matter how misguided and asinine.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:32:14 +0000

I was on the Guardian blogspot the other day and noticed something similar, Duncan. There was one page for ‘Music’ – which was all the things you cite – and then there was another page for ‘Classical Music’. If there’s going to be a division then I’d rather ‘Classical Music’ was counted as ‘Music’ and the rest under, mmm, well I don’t know what. It would be false to classify Rock, Jazz, Hip Hop, Et Christ cetera, as ‘light music’ or even as ‘popular music’ because most of it isn’t light and some ‘classical’ music is as popular as the other types you’ve listed. Perhaps it is indeed an artificial division.

By: Duncan

Duncan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:22:39 +0000

I have recently visited Amazon. They have categories for their items for sale. The interesting point is under Music they list; Rock, Jazz, Hip Hop, Indie, Folk, Easy Listening, Country, Et Christ cetera. Under a separate category they list Classical Music. Is this an artificial division?