Ian wrote:

>If we could move on to discussing how the rhythmic element works in
>different forms of music, and why the rhythmic element in "classical"
>music was so repressed during much of its history, then we might start
>getting somewhere in this thread.

I agree completely.  This is the level that I like to discuss music as my
previous threads indicate - When my drum beat perspective was posted, I
began by saying:

>> I see the continuous drum beat as what distinguishes classical music
>> (which may have some drums) from popular music which nearly always has a
>> continuous drum beat - bass, snare, hihat

Note that I offered a personal opinion and did not impertinately state this
as a great truth.  But I will defend my opinion that what is called "beat
music" rarely existed in what is called "classical music" even though drums
existed and there was a history of sophisticated drum music in primative
tribes.  Is this just a coincedence? Is it just that none of the great
composers thought of what has become such a fundamental part of the music
we enjoy today? Classical music does contain drum parts.

Steve Schwartz then adds a most reasonable comment to this thread

>As to putting stuff in the same class, have fun.  It's your class, after
>all.

Thank you Steve.

But I would like, in a friendly way, to address the comment of

Satoshi Akima, who writes ...

>The more fundamental question is however what the point is of making such
>partitions

Because partitioning (classifying) is the way our mind trys to understand
reality.  For example, real/imaginary, animal/vegatable/mineral and so on.
Inquiring minds want to know as they say.

Since we classify art into music, painting, sculpture, dance, cooking,
literature, ...  this naturally leads to the question "what are the
fundamental classes of music?" BTW there does not have to be just 2
classes under MUSIC..

With over 900 people on this list, I would have thought that would be easy.

So far what I like best on this thread is Ken Sutton's comment on referring
to "art music" vs "classical music".

Sincerely offered without malice,

Bill Pirkle