Don writes:

>Bill Pirkle, in a recent posting on this thread, questions the relevance
>of the term "classical music".  I just wanted to relate that I consider
>it highly relevant.  It has been, for me, the entrance "ID" to the music I
>want to listen to and own.  Also, everybody I know has a generally similar
>notion of what classical music sounds like (love it or hate it).  And the
>typing of the term in a search engine brought me to Dave's website; that
>has plenty of significance as well.
>
>My basic response to Bill is that a descriptive term can be relevant
>without being exacting.  It's a slippery world when one wants the exact.

Indeed, I don't have a problem with the term per se, nor am I looking for
an "exact" definition.  Any definition will do, and that is looking less
and less possible.  I do not think I am being unreasonable in expecting
that words have a definition, even a broad one.  George Orwell (1984) would
agree.  Could you complete this sentence to the satisfaction of everyone on
this list -

Classical music is music that ....

I don't think that anyone can. What's wrong with this picture?

Bill Pirkle