The end of classical music
jacobinmag.com
jacobinmag.com
No doubt the author is aggravated by the perceived decadence and decline of contemporary popular music. Yet, what is popular has for the most part always been mediocre or subpar.
The 'classical' (a very generalized descriptor, and completely inaccurate to contrast with 'rock and popular music') music he so yearns for was predominantly enjoyed by the aristocracy of its day and wasn't intended for the common layman. He also comfortably ignores all the hack composers who were likely forgotten and their legacies erased, instead only pointing out one of the three most undoubtedly famous.
His main argument for advocating classical music is its focus on instrumentals and "a logic entirely based on the abstract relationships inherent in the pitches and rhythms."
There are many (admittedly postmodern, likely much to the chagrin of the author) tendencies and genres in today's music, such as avant-garde jazz, noise, progressive rock and so on, which also employ eclecticism and complexity on a scale that trumps famous, beaten-to-death classical composers. Of course, these genres aren't popular, but that is to be expected.
This is simply another example of leftist academic snobbery.
>There are many (admittedly postmodern, likely much to the chagrin of the author) tendencies and genres in today's music, such as avant-garde jazz, noise, progressive rock and so on, which also employ eclecticism and complexity on a scale that trumps famous, beaten-to-death classical composers. Of course, these genres aren't popular, but that is to be expected.
Your appeal to eclecticism makes me think that you are not focusing on the feature of classical music the author has in mind. He means, I think, the kind of formal "problem-solving" that one can find in (to cite a comparatively recent example) the [Fugue in Hindemith's 3rd Piano Sonata](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTpAIEp6DUo).
Such very elaborated formal structures are much less important in rock or avant-garde jazz. They are also very hard to write, and comparatively hard to decode as a listener. But they are very rewarding once you sort of get them.
Isn't all of that true?
The "problem-solving" technique you mention is still, I believe, very much present in my aforementioned genres.
They're definitely not accessible to everyone, however, especially the casual listener. That is true.
You might want to take a look at 'The Culture of the Europeans' by Donald Sassoon to see how wrong you are.
In hindsight, the political slant is irrelevant, though leftism is typical of academia.
How so? Also can you explain the connection you are drawing between the comments and the quality of modern software and programmers?
Naturally there are exceptions but I'm referring to your basic Hans Zimmer product, which is garbage.
This could be said of programming too
About classical music, because a coincidence, I've downloaded lots of classical music and found out that it helps me greatly to concentrate while I'm studying.
I like it, I would probably want to learn more about it (if and when I have time), but I dont want to become an expert and be pedantic about it.