Bob Draper wrote:

>I have heard in the past from reliable sources that it is best to
>introduce children to avant garde pieces early in their development.  By
>doing so they become much more tolorant (appreciative) of such pieces.
>Apparently, so the theory goes children brought up in this was do not
>have the dependence on a tune in the music, that the rest of us have.
>
>This fits in my own gut feeling of psychology that most people are
>not born they are made.  Thick kids are programmed that way by their
>environment especially their peers.

Uh oh!  Here we are...in a nature versus nurture debate on the MCML.
I just can't resist.  I would argue that an individual's musical taste is
a little bit of both: nature and nurture, that is.  I believe that most
developmental psychologists would agree with me that this is the case in
most if not all aspects of psychological development.  It is clear that
a certain degree of exposure to a stimulus that is neutral will create
an appreciative psychological component.  I can occasionally catch my
CM-hating daughter whistling to Mozart.  It is also beyond all doubt
that a positive stimulus will do same.  In fact, even a somewhat negative
stimulus can result in a certain amount of attraction (i.e., horror films,
hostage syndrome, etc.).

Humans, however, have a need for structure, especially mathematical
structure.  This is classic Gestalt psychology and it applies to music in
the utmost sense.  The human brain needs formal structure, mathematical
structure, that can be found in a *good* tune, such as the compositions of
Bach, Haydn (this one's for you Bob) and Mahler.  It is innate behavior and
can be found in all aspects of life.

This does not mean that there is not a place for the avant garde.  We need
both, that is, the mathematically unstructured and the mathematically
structured.  Both forms have there place and if one makes an honest attempt
to listen to the avant garde, he/she will appreciate the work, regardless
of previous exposure.

P.S. Further reading of interest can be found in Douglas Hofstadter's 1980
Pulitzer Prize book: Godel, Escher, Bach: an eternal Golden Braid

Cheers, Iain Simons