classical music

[thedoc]

I joined a classical music site, expecting conversation and discussion of pieces I liked. Instead I found that most of the posters there were listening to and praising the lesser known works that no-one else was listening to. I developed the opinion that these were a bunch of snobs that felt if the music was popular with the masses, it couldn't be as good as that which was unknown to the general listening public. I did post a thread about popularity equaling quality and was soundly put in my place as one who didn't really appreciate good (unpopular) music. I didn't post this there because I'm not interested in the firestorm that would result. Classical music listeners are not as sophisticated as they think they are.

[lisarea]

I'm curious. How did you develop that opinion? Was it based entirely on the fact that they liked lesser known music, or did they say something else to make you think that?

The popularity equaling quality thing would be pretty easy to rebut by almost anyone's standards. Don't you have some topic or medium that you have a special interest in where you think you're a better judge of quality than the average person? Or do you believe that the most popular of any given category is always the best? Is McDonald's the best restaurant?

Did it occur to you that maybe the people who disagreed with you don't secretly agree with you? That they're telling the truth when they talk about what they do and don't like? Is it your belief that they are somehow fooling themselves, or is it that you think they are actually perpetrating an elaborate hoax against you in order to gain some kind of status?

Did it even occur to you that maybe they ARE more sophisticated? That maybe they know more than you do because they've spent more time and effort on it than you have? That acquired tastes are real, and not just put-ons to make you feel bad? Or that they're just tired of hearing the same few pieces over and over again, are are more interested in less common works because of that?

[thedoc]

Originally Posted by lisarea

I'm curious. How did you develop that opinion? Was it based entirely on the fact that they liked lesser known music, or did they say something else to make you think that?

The popularity equaling quality thing would be pretty easy to rebut by almost anyone's standards. Don't you have some topic or medium that you have a special interest in where you think you're a better judge of quality than the average person? Or do you believe that the most popular of any given category is always the best? Is McDonald's the best restaurant?

Did it occur to you that maybe the people who disagreed with you don't secretly agree with you? That they're telling the truth when they talk about what they do and don't like? Is it your belief that they are somehow fooling themselves, or is it that you think they are actually perpetrating an elaborate hoax against you in order to gain some kind of status?

Did it even occur to you that maybe they ARE more sophisticated? That maybe they know more than you do because they've spent more time and effort on it than you have? That acquired tastes are real, and not just put-ons to make you feel bad? Or that they're just tired of hearing the same few pieces over and over again, are are more interested in less common works because of that?

The opinion was based on reading their posts.

Popularity vs quality assumes that there is some standard that the general population is not privy to.

Status is an easy air to put on, and there are many who do it.

There are some areas where I admit that there are more sophisticated tastes than mine, but music is not one of them.

In regards to status, it reminds me of a story by one of my music professors at college. He and a friend attended one of the Rossini comic operas, and they both spoke and understood Italian, the language of the opera. During the performance they were laughing out loud at the jokes, and getting dirty looks from other members of the audience who were not laughing. Those "other members" were there only to be seen as sophisticated, in attending the opera. Being "seen" at a cultural event seems to be an easy way to appear sophisticated, whether they were or were not.

So stick your nose up in the air if you like, I really don't care. I'm willing to accept that others don't share my level of sophistication in certain areas, and I acknowledge other areas where I do not have the sophisticated tastes of a few others.

[LadyShea]

I joined a classical music site, expecting conversation and discussion of pieces I liked.

Do you think that was a reasonable expectation? Why would other people necessarily be discussing pieces YOU like when they are not you, rather than pieces they themselves like?

Instead I found that most of the posters there were listening to and praising the lesser known works that no-one else was listening to

Who are you referring to as "no one else"? Most of the posters on a classical music site were listening to it, so doesn't that make it popular among those who like classical music? What other group are you comparing them to and why?

Popularity vs quality assumes that there is some standard that the general population is not privy to.

Um, yes, of course. The general population is not trained or well versed in classical music.

[lisarea]

I can't say that any of your accounts are off. But it still seems to me as though you're making a pretty big leap.

Yes, people do sometimes put on airs, but it seems pretty unlikely to me that a significant number of adults are investing big chunks of their time and money pretending to appreciate things to impress others, rather than spending those limited resources on things they genuinely enjoy. People care about what others think of them, sure, but I don't think many people care THAT much.

And do you really think that nobody has more sophisticated tastes in music than you do? And that there are only some areas in which as you put it "a few others" have more sophisticated tastes than you?

It seems very unlikely that you have such finely tuned tastes in so many things that only "a few" people have more knowledge and experience than you in a few areas.

It is nice to find someone who shares your tastes to talk to about things you already like, but it's even better when you find someone who knows about things you don't.

[ChuckF]

Huh. People who are interested enough to join and contribute to a music site listen to and enjoy pieces other than greatest hits. As if they could ever run out of stuff to say about Kill The Wabbit or that other song I like! FIRESTORM.