Karl Miller:

>When it comes to the broadcasting of classical music...I believe much
>of what I have heard from NPR and PBS do more harm than good. ...
>
>How did we get to this point?  Whose fault is it, who can we blame?
>(assuming of course, you agree with me)

I do agree.  I think we have to blame several trends and people.  The
first is the educational system, which cut music programs as "frills"
but kept the football team and the marching band.  Consequently, you
have people with expensive educations who are nevertheless cultural
ignorami.  Serious music, and to a large extent serious art in general,
flies in under the radar.  The second is the pop industry which set
unrealistic goals for profit in the classical industry and which essentially
monopolized the conversation about music.  You hear more about what a
genius Beck is than about what a genius Brahms is.  Indeed, I've found
in New Orleans that very few people -- even college-degreed people --
know the name of Brahms.  By the way, serious jazz also has a small,
neglected audience.  I've not met all that many people who recognize the
name of Ornette Coleman or Bud Powell.

Finally, I'm not so sure the usual encounter with music solely as a
passive listener, due to recording and broadcasting technology, has been
altogether a good thing.  It's given rise to listeners who *feel* but
don't *know*.

Steve Schwartz