Jocelyn Wang wrote: >An intellectual is a person with a substantial intellect who develops >that intellect. A pseudo-intellectual is someone without a substantial >intellect that wishes to appear as if he has one. How do you know that you are no pseudo-intellectual mistaking the intellectuals for pseudo-intellectuals? (See where labeling leads to?) I mused that: >>... Mozart was so innovative and liked a good expensive life so much he >>would have jumped headfirst into what electronic music, pop music, rock >>music, jazz, classical music and sampling could offer him. He would be >>the king of the charts and I would fancy this. Jocelyn answered: >This is where this thread reaches an inevitable limitation, as neither of >us can possibly prove our stances under this hypothetical. Well, maybe, but hypotheses can say a lot about our beliefs and preferences - and isn't it the meaning of this discussion list to share our musical beliefs and preferences? >>What I don't like about a lot of classical music lovers is that they treat >>their heroes like gods and that it is blasphemy to say things like "Mozart >>was a pop musician" > >It's not blasphemy, but it does suggest to me that those who say it like >classical music without investing much thought into it. I like some pop >music, too, but much in the same way I like green tea ice cream, and I am >under no illusion that it achieves the same level of artistry. Classical >music requires concentration, an intellectual effort that is almost never >required of pop. The old pop music-bashing again. Can't we love classical music without finding other kinds of music shallow? To write a good pop song is not as simple a task as it may seem. Anyway, a lot of Mozart's music (NOT ALL!!!) is pop for me which means that it is light-hearted, entertaining and artistically well-made - just like the pop songs of masters like Weill, Porter, Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards, Townsend, Zappa, Rotheray/Heaton, Joel and so on. Nevertheless I think of myself as someone who invests a lot of thought into classical music. You obviously know me better than I know myself. >>Classical music is the finest form of entertainment for me but still >>entertainment. > >It is entertainment, yes, but it is much than only entertainment. I meant this by saying it is the finest form of entertainment. I don't listen to Bach or Bruckner to get bored, it is entertainment that touches my body, mind, heart and soul. It is soul food and wonderfully refined - and brilliantly entertaining. Robert