Piano World Home Page Forums General Discussions Musicians Welcome! I Hate Classical Music

I was chatting with an old friend of mine on AOL a week or so ago. I said, "Have you ever heard any of Prokofiev's music?"

"No, I don't think so"

I told him that he's a modern classical composer. I said I was listening to some of his piano concertos, which are fantastic.

He said: "Oh, it must be really good then" [because it's 'classical music']. "But I didn't know there was such thing as modern classical music." ... "I didn't know the 1900's were included."

So I gave him a lecture.

And now he understands a little bit better.

See, here's the amazing thing:

Sometimes I tell people I listen to classical music, and rock music makes me nauseous, and they think I'm insane.

Quite often I tell people that I listen to classical music, and they are really impressed. They think it's really cool and intellectual that I listen to "classical" music. They wish that they could listen to classical music, too, but they never do. It's something too intellectual and too awesome. They couldn't possibly be good enough to listen to it. :rolleyes:

When will people learn, ey Sam?

:p

x

I hate the moniker "classical music" as well. It tends to give the impression that all classical music is "sedate" and "proper", just waiting for their audiences to fall asleep. As if! Classical music has some of the most beautiful and exciting themes to be found in any genre of musical expression. Not to mention the fact that "Modern Classical" is a complete oxymoron but if you say "Modern" music to a musical neophyte they will instantly think you are talking about Britney Spears or someone equally as disastrous.

Let's face it though, the world loves stereotypes. All rap isn't "gansta" style and all classical isn't mozart (not that there's anything wrong with mozart). It's hard to re-wire socially programmed stereotypes especially when we live in a society that is always examining itself in the mirror and trying to imitate the acts of people who shouldn't be imitated.


The biggest threat to modern musical appreciation (IMHO) is the way music is marketed to the younger generation. Music thesedays is about promotion, marketing, image, complex chreography, oh yeah and let's see what else...almost forgot....the music. The MUSIC often times seems like the last thing that some popular musical performers think about when in fact, it should be the only thing. Maybe its the influence of MTV, of the media, of overzealous marketing, i don't know what for sure, but I find more people who want to listen to what other people listen to than actually find music that interests them.

My musical interests vary from classical to new age to jazz to techno. I realize I am a musical conundrum, but it doesn't bother me because I listen to what I like in many different genres. Personally I've noticed that adults have a much better appreciation for music in general and tend to like a more diverse collection of music. Young kids and teenagers these days are very compelled to like the same sorts of things and of these music is a subset. The real danger is that these kids will grow up with a bunch silly stereotypes that they never tried to break down and as a result never discover certain types of music.


~pianocliff

I understand what you are all saying! I am 15, and my peers are OBSESSED with music as some kind of image. Who you are depends on what kind of music you listen to. It's "cool" to know all sorts of unknown rock bands that no-one's ever heard, because they haven't become "commercialised".

The people who listen to, I dunno, Pink Floyd are no different to fans of 50 Cent - they are only listening to it for the image. I am not saying either of these artists are bad, by any means. But they aren't appreciating the music, just the image that comes with it. And they don't accept other types of music outside their "style" at all.

I have nothing against any style of music. I don't particularly like some, but I listen to anything that sounds good. I have preferences (classical music being one), but no prejudices.

Although, though I do like some "modern music" (pop, r'n'b, etc), I do appreciate that the amount of practice and level of skill required to play a classical instrument IS alot higher than having your voice enhanced in a studio and shaking your booty!

I just hate the broad use of "classical music" it is hard being a music teacher and trying to teach about the real classical era when the students seem to associate all music before 1930 as classical and really have trouble distinguishing between the different eras. (wow tha was a long sentence)

Try blasting them with some Carmina Burana or Ride of the Valkyries!
Some of my students get really freaked out when you point out how simple a lot of pop/ rock/ punk etc is. They also never realised that you can merge almost all Brittany Spears songs into one long medley without changing key.
Its even worse when the music the students listen to is just a remix of "classical music" and they don't even notice

Sometimes I hate being a teacher :p

Do yourself a favor and check your favourite rock or rap forum. You'll find people complain how unfair it is everyone treats them like caged clowns, how everyone who listens to classical music only does so for the image and how vastly more difficult it is to speak 400 words a minute compared to pressing some keys on a piano.

I can neither play piano or rap well, I like listening to pink-floyd, didn't know all spears songs could be merged together without changing songs (although I admittedly don't know too many of her songs) and severely dislike cooked vegetables. Some people don't get that but that's ok. Gives me a chance to rant about it on a forum.

Or in other words: I don't do what I do for whatever image and as such I don't care whatever others think of it.

Yeah...some people dont give classical music a chance....but they just dont hear or understand what we do. Its just not translated to them the same.

Don't you worry now I also have problems with the amount of new genres of music emerging which all have to be lumped under "popular music" as well and people classifying so such under R&B when some of t isn't.
.......It's not hard to speak the 400 words a minute but to do it well and in a rhythmical way that still makes sense.... even harder when it is impromptu!
And good on you for the veges. Personally I don't eat any veges by choice, only coz I know I will get sick if I don't

I have my issues with classical music... As I was reading this I was thinking about it and I think because the classical period (Haydn... Beethoven... Kuhlau) always sound so proper and regal when I listen to them. The chords seem to be in sets of 3's for the tension to release but popular music it's one chord for tension one chord for release. I'm really trying to get my mind around it because I don't mind Baroque or anything from the Romantic Period on... weird. I still love me some classical of course. Chopin and Brahms being the two I can stand and really? The Brahms intermezzo I play right now could have a vocal line written above it and played on the radio. I think the same of Liszt's on Lake [Insert German word starting with W here] -- I'm playing it and I'm thinking, "Wow, these chords!"

It really annoys me when people don't give "classical" music a chance. (by which I really mean all the orchestral music that the average Joe would call "classical"). Todays music evolved from classical music so I think it's a really important part of our history and listening to it can really help you grow as a musician, just as listening to any other types of music can...like jazz, rock and even rap.

I mean I've noticed parts of classical music that have cleary influenced jazz. Some of Debussy's music for example.

One thing I have always wondered. Why say "I hate classical"... or "I only like rap"? By doing it you're only restricting yourself as a person. It's the same as saying "I'm a goth" or "I'm an emo". I just don't understand this modern need some people have to strip away their individuallity and become one of the masses. Apart from anything else, with the number of songs in the charts which parts taken from classical songs (recently I realised the song played at the start of Bridget Jones's Diary - All By Myself, is actually taken from a piano concerto by Rachmaninoff!)... therefore anyone who says they hate classical music is either a liar or a hypocrite. *nods*

I've had the following conversation with people too many times:

"You listen to classical? Wow, me too!"
"Oh, nice! So what composers do you like?"
"Um...... I love the Moonlight Sonata by Mozart!"

Sad thing is, I'm not even kidding.

Also, as for rap music. To me, when I listen to a piece of music, if it's a song, I don't listen to the lyrics. I listen to the music, and this is what determines whether I like it or not. With rap music, it's more or less all lyrics, and I find it hard to appreciate something like this.

It isn't all in the lyrics. Sure some of them are witty or controversial but I find myself tuning out and listening to the syncopation and interesting rhythms the rappers can get out of their words while still having a great flow..... its just a pity when you get a bad one:)

Wow, cool! . There's another one to add to my list. It always amazes the students when you tell them "Friends Forever"(or whatever the name is) by Vitamin C is actually Pachabels Canon, or that the Jaws theme is originally Wagner

I totally agree that people box themselves in by giving themselves labels. Rather than say I"I only listen to..." I prefer to say " I don't really like most.....(usually country western)... but I give it a chance"

Try blasting them with some Carmina Burana or Ride of the Valkyries!


Have them watch OLD cartoons

yeah, i tend to listen to the beat and the music before i listen to the actual words.

I don't think that you should put down any type of music. Believe it or not, even rock music requires a lot of creativity on the composer's part (I can't comment on punk/rap/metal/emo music/etc. etc. etc. because I don't really listen to them). The difficulties of rock may or may not be the same as the difficulties of classical music, but there are difficulties. Why is some rock good and some bad? The good ones have structure (yes, structure). Just listen to Daniel Powter's "Bad Day". There is music, not just long, bland sentence like a song that involves the month September.

haha thats the worst.


but yeah, speaking from someone who likes most all kinds of music,
every, and i repeat, every genre of music has many artists that are truly that, artists. and they make incredible music. hip hop (or rap) is a perfect example as azabache made it perfectly clear in his post. same goes for rock (although even for the stern and exclusively classical music listener, i don't think rock has to be stood up for. good rock at least.) and jazz and afrobeat and electronic music and all that.

a real musician, i think, is one that knows that every conceivably musical thing is music. in one way or another. it just depends on whether ones eyes is open enough to see it.

I have no appreciation for some idiot standing next to a computer generating music and yelling profanitites.

I rather see a master of an instrument pounding away with great skill on an instrument like the guitar or piano.

any fool can be a rapper. but only the divine can be great mucisians

rap if for the simple minded scumbags

Thanks for he controversy the Lordlactose.

Any fool can be a rapper, but any fool cannot be a GOOD rapper. Some of the best are those who can get a real flow of words straight off the top of their head without having to write it down or think too much. THAT is the type of rap which should be apprectiated more.

The beauty of rap is in the clever and witty but at the same time highly rhythmical way they put their words together. Try it at home, come up with some incredibly witty social comments of your own and string them together to a beat without stopping for a couple of minutes, it isn't that easy after all.

And the breath control of a good rapper... WOW.
As for yelling profanities, what about Linkin Park... or MC Hammer:D

Unfortunately all genres of music at some stage have become susceptible to the perils of commercialism.... and yes SOME of that Is for the simple minded, generally put together with a beat and a hook and not much else (but hey, it makes a lot of money). However I wouldn't call them scumbags.

ok, and where is the rapper making actual music rather than lyrics?