Josef K

Uh
(You have no idea how long I spent looking for this quote.)

Josef K

Anyway, I don't see how this is responsive to anything in Batlord's post other than "harms modern classical composers", and even that relies on misinterpretation. Batlord tells you that people don't pay attention to modern classical composers (and because the set of classical fans is much smaller than the set of rock fans, that means a lot fewer people know Max Richter or whoever than know, uh, the Kinks) because of too much respect for elders. The list of rock bands that people outside of the rock nerd community (although I'd note that these two aren't super comparable because many more people listen to much more rock music than people listen to classical) know updates with time. Everyone knows the Beatles and Zeppelin, but everyone also knows the Black Keys. This hurts modern classical composers because the image people have of the genre (which, as you say, is massive and varied) is of old dudes in wigs making absurdly boring music. So not only do people not go into the genre if they want to create great, daring music, but listeners don't pay any attention to whatever great modern classical stuff is coming out, because of the Mozart-Beethoven-Bach image that you talk about.

I don't entirely agree with Batlord - I think the causal link doesn't make a ton of sense (this could be due to lots of things that aren't "respect for elders") and I don't think it's really true that nobody pays attention to modern classical music - but I think it's just not correct that this is the same as rock so it isn't a big deal. Moreover, I think Batlord would agree that the "respect for elders" that, for example, results in people thinking that the Beatles are the greatest band of all time (seriously, where'd they get that idea? ) is a problem in rock music too.

Pet_Sounds

No classical music listener would claim that "a couple guys named Mozart and Beethoven just happen to be the be all and end all of music", and just about all of them are aware of modern composers in some form. The problem for modern compsers is supply and demand: There is a huge pool (500 years) of classical music to draw from, but the number of people drawing from that pool is decreasing.

A good deal of modern classical music is a bit too daring for the established tastes of older listeners, but you'll find that most of them are pretty aware of the more traditional composers. For example, I went to a choral concert last Saturday, and about 80% of the audience was over 60--I was probably the youngest person there. However, more than half their selections were pieces written in the past fifty years, and about a quarter were from the past decade. In addition, younger classical music listeners with more open minds, like me, Frownland, and you, I gather, are quite interested in the more daring modern composers.

As much as I love them, I cringe whenever anybody says that The Beatles were the greatest, or even most influential band of all time. Most certified US album sales. Sure, but that doesn't equal greatest.

Thanks to my mom being a piano teacher, singing in a choir for several years (left when my voice deepened), and Radio 2, I've had more exposure to classical than any other genre.

Batlord's post annoyed me, TBH, since it seemed he was making sweeping generalizations about a community he knows nothing about.

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Josef K

That line was just there to get a reaction from you.
I don't have much stake in this argument - I think I agree with both of you in that Batlord's right that mindless elder-worship is a bad thing, but it's less clear that it is, uh, a thing.

Janszoon

That would be a great band name!

__________________
A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man

Time & Place

25 Albums You Should Hear Before the Moon Crashes into the Earth and We All Die

last.fm

Ashwell John

I don't like rocking songs. I am quiet and love romantic songs.

Pet_Sounds

Kinda figured.

The rest of Batty's post is spot on, IMO, especially the bit about classic rock. Quite a bit of it's the nostalgia industry, I suppose.

__________________
Everybody's dying just to get the disease

Josef K

Dibs.

Neff Anselmo

As a big fan of Pantera, I really don't like the song Walk.

__________________

The Batlord

It's a bit too obtuse to really catch my ear in the same way that Altars of Madness does, but Formulas Fatal to the Flesh is easily Morbid Angel's greatest musical achievement. Definitely ****s all over Covenant, and Steve Tucker is a far more suitable vocalist for a modern death metal band than David Vincent.

__________________