I didn't read all the previous messages, but I want to contribute
for this debate.  I am a composer and teacher of History of the Music
and I suffer to explain to the students and the people in lectures the
differences between "popular music" and "classic music" (in Brazil we
named it of "erudite music").  The characteristics of this music are the
deep research of the melodic, harmonics, rhythmic techniques, and other
parameters of the music (speed, attack, dynamic, ornamentation).  These
experimentations began with the medieval priests (organum) and we arrived
until the great forms of western music (fugues, sonatas, symphonies and
concerts).  These experimentations supply material for the music in general
(dances, songs, operas).  Beside this music, the folkloric/tribal music
always existed: dances, songs and daily music (work, marriage, war march,
religious service etc.).  With the growth of the cities (from the
Renaissance era), a third way appeared: urban music.  In the crossing of
three sprung the popular music of the century XX.  It developed with the
following characteristics: a) importance given to the melody in style
romantic (derived of the national folklore) b) simple harmony (with three
main chords) c) regional rhythms (waltz, samba, tango, jazz, rock etc.) d)
importance given to the interpret (generally the singer) e) it appeals more
the social communication (with daily subject lyrics) f) its formal model
generally based on the aria of the operas of the century XIX g) free
variations, ornamentations h) free instrumental arranges i) wide diffusion
for the media (TV, radio and movies) The "classical music" continues it
developing moving forward in its techniques (atonalism, electronics, and
other techniques) or it using of the whole music type (folk, pop, tribal
musics).  In the history of the music always the composers used the pop
music type: minuets, waltzes, Neapolitan song, blues etc.  (see Bach,
Mozart, Berlioz, Gerschwin, Bartok, Villa-Lobos).  Reference: all books
of Theodor Adorno, J. Vinton - Dictionary of Contemporany Music (1974) -
in article "Popular Music" and others.

Edson Tadeu Ortolan <[log in to unmask]>