Chris Mullins ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>My point now - I'm sure you are curious! - is how narrow the musical
>world of so many young people is today, even just in the context of
>popular music. Never mind the degraded state of songwriting. It's next
>to unknown for an instrumental piece or something not in English (if
>that's the language hip-hop artists are using) to become popular today.
>
>So we have this large population of bright kids (many of my students are
>very bright indeed) who are stymied just by the idea of classical music
>- that so much of it is instrumental. And introducing "Das Lied von der
>Erde" wouldn't satisfy them - "You can't understand what they are singing!"

Oddly enough, this has always been the cmoplaint of the parents about
their children's music...:-)

>There are so many reasons why classical music is "in trouble" - if one
>accepts that it is - but has anyone considered that the pathetic state
>of popular music is also playing its role? That's what I'm beginning to
>consider.

It doubtless plays a part. I know it's not their fault, but I still wince
every time some young person joins one of the list and declares that
their favourite "song" is Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata or some such.

>I think I need to start playing some great classical music pieces, on a
>rotating basis, at low level at the beginning of class, when the students
>are settling in, copying the agenda, doing their warm-up. Maybe sooner
>or later one or two will realize they've heard a certain piece before
>and want to know a bit more about it - even if it doesn't have words!
>Could work...

Worth a try. Don't forget the geneartion who were surreptitiously
introduced to CM by Bugs Bunny, Flash Gordon and/or The Lone Ranger.

Deryk Barker
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