Don Satz writes:

Mike Leghorn writes:

>>If you could learn to like Disco, then you'd only have to buy one CD,
>>and press the repeat button on your CD player.  Same goes for a lot
>>of the pop music that's played these days (which is the same as disco,
>>but with a different name.
>
>Perhaps Mike is being too hard on pop music.  With any musical category,
>greater intimacy results in being able to differentiate among the many
>styles within a category such as pop. Put another way, a pop enthusiast
>could take Mike's comments above and simply change "Disco" to "Haydn String
>Quartets" and then relate how they sound so similar to Mozart String
>Quartets.  Familiarity breeds distinctions.

Although I agree that familiarity breeds distinctions, I've found that my
familiarity with classical music has made me a better listener to other
kinds of music as well.  Here are some examples of some insights I gleaned
as a result of my familiarity with classical music:

* The Eagles' Hotel California is a Passacaglia.

* I've heard quotes in pop music from classical music, e.g.  Satie's
1st Gymnopedie, Pachelbels Canon.  I was working out at Balley's when I
heard these blatant borrowings, and looked around to see if anyone seemed
surprised by the music.  It seemed like I was the only one.  I don't know
if I can express why, but this experience makes me feel resentful.  I guess
it has to do with my deep love and appreciation of classical music, and how
the media can exploit it and the public for profit.

* A recently released CD by Santana uses the theme from the 3rd mvt of
Brahms' 3rd.

* There are even new pop versions of older pop songs, like Roberta Flak's
"Killing Me Softly".  I must confess that I actually like the original
version, even if a lot of people consider it to be "mushy".  The new
version is "disco-ized" in that it is drowned in an overbearing base drum
beat, as if it were being played to slaves rowing a ship.  As is typical
with this genre of music, the element of musicianship is minimized, if not
completely absent.  The vocals are processed through one of those gadgets
that locks the voice into the nearest perfect pitch.  (The use of this
gadget is very widespread in today's pop music.  Once you've become aware
of it's sound, you'll hear it everywhere, and it sounds anything but
musical).  The instrumentals are electronic, and undoubtedly computer
generated, as evidenced by the relentless robot-like rhythmic precision.

I must say that I don't consider the Eagles and Santana to be in the
same category as the "disco-ized" pop music.  Although I'm no authority
on pop music (or anything, for that matter), I consider the quality of
musicianship among the Eagles and Santana to be pretty high (especially
the guitar playing).

Maybe my problem is that I hear too much.  That's one of the hazards
of being a classical music fan.  Nevertheless, Don's point is well taken.
I know that if I were more familiar with some of today's pop music, I would
appreciate it more.  I emphasize here, SOME of today's pop music.  There's
still a lot of music being played today which is utterly appalling to my
ears, and could not possibly bare any relevance me as music.

Mike