Steve Schwartz <[log in to unmask]> wrote in reply to Bernard Gregoire:

>That's probably true, to judge by the reaction I get when I try to
>persuade people to attend a local classical concert.  From the "deer in the
>headlights" look that comes over them, I can tell I'm causing psychological
>distress without, of course, meaning to.  I can assure you I don't talk
>about technical terms, tell them they *should* enjoy it, or persuade in any
>way other than I would use to talk up a movie like Bandits (which I haven't
>yet seen -- any good? It looks good).  I think perhaps even mentioning a
>name like Mozart or Brahms would have the same effect.  That doesn't seem
>to me my fault, but a pre-trauma in them.

I have also tried in vain to give good advice.  My question to Mister
Steverino Schwartzo is if he never played with the idea that it is the
avant garde from early 20th century and onwards, which created this aura
of intellectual snobbery around classical music? At least when a piece of
an avantguardist like Arne Mellnaes is performed and half a minute after
the music end a few people discreet starts to applause when they realize
that the musicians will keep silent as the piece is at end.  At such
circumstances I think that many in the audience sit with the feeling "I'd
better wait with applausing until the snobs who know these weirdo things
start to applause".  All were silent almost half a minute after the
Cappriccio.  I checked with the clock.

>>I suppose, given the aesthetic of these times, but was it always this way?
>>Were the Toscanini/NBC Symphony broadcasts considered that "elitist"?
>
>Sure.  Look at the Marx Bros.'s Night at the Opera or any number of
>Thirties cartoons on "Symphonic vs.  Swing."

A question more tricky as it seems on forehand as radio was realtively new
avaliable at reasonable price to common man.  It is more likely that he who
owned the clothstore bought a radioapparatus before the steelworker, but
thats not just reasons of attitude.

>>But in the end, I don't worry too much about it.
>
>I worry in the sense that I don't want concerts and recordings of CM to dry
>up (or to be supplanted by inane crossover).

I worry about that too, for same reasons as Mr.Schwartz.  I could believe
the economic powers pushes the development in direction to crossover.  That
would only possibly be better then the current schism, but a consencus of
the variety which we call CM with all its derivatives would be much better.

Oswald Spengler of course rings his bells and wrings his hands.

Mats Norrman <[log in to unmask]>