Why don't more people like classical music?

SirMickTravisSirMickTravis Posts: 2,607
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Maybe this is an annoying question and a bit unanswerable. However I often feel my fondness for classical music is a rather lonely pursuit. I guess it just doesn't excite many people. Classical concerts often seemed to be full of people who are 60+. Fine but where are the younger generation?
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  • iseloidiseloid Posts: 9,392
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    It's often portrayed as boring, very upper class and
    La de daa as they say. It isn't but there are historical reasons why a lot of people are not into it. It once was an elite thing.
  • AdzPowerAdzPower Posts: 4,861
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    I would say that it's a lack of lyrics, or more specifically a lack of lyrics that people can understand, I'm no expert on this subject but from what I've seen classical music is either just instrumental or a singer singing in a foreign language like Italian for example, most people connect to the lyrics of a song, without those I think it makes a big difference on how many people can connect to the type of music.
  • mr mugglesmr muggles Posts: 4,601
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    Hey, dont worry! Pops dying! I love me some Mahler/Delibes/Hanson!Bartok:cool:
  • Gigi4Gigi4 Posts: 3,631
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    For me, it was because it was forced upon me by my parents. They forced me to listen to classical stations and wouldn't let me listen to pop radio. They also made me take piano lessons which I hated. Then in school, it was forced upon me again in classes as the only real music. For me, not liking it was a rebellion thing.
  • SirMickTravisSirMickTravis Posts: 2,607
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    AdzPower wrote: »
    I would say that it's a lack of lyrics, or more specifically a lack of lyrics that people can understand, I'm no expert on this subject but from what I've seen classical music is either just instrumental or a singer singing in a foreign language like Italian for example, most people connect to the lyrics of a song, without those I think it makes a big difference on how many people can connect to the type of music.

    I've never been a great one for lyrics, in fact my brother's always ribbed me about my inability to understand the correct lyrics in songs. I've probably always focused more on the tune and if the lyrics are nonsense not really paid attention to them.
  • mr mugglesmr muggles Posts: 4,601
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    I've never been a great one for lyrics, in fact my brother's always ribbed me about my inability to understand the correct lyrics in songs. I've probably always focused more on the tune and if the lyrics are nonsense not really paid attention to them.

    I love lyrics that I connect with (dont we all?), but, primarily, its the sound Im drawn to first. Its a production thing too. Im finding it ahrder and harder to connect with commercial music due to the way its manipulated by producers: certain frequencies pushed forward at the expense of others. More and more I hear a central 'dead' beat dominating the masses.:eek::(
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,163
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    AdzPower wrote: »
    I would say that it's a lack of lyrics, or more specifically a lack of lyrics that people can understand, I'm no expert on this subject but from what I've seen classical music is either just instrumental or a singer singing in a foreign language like Italian for example, most people connect to the lyrics of a song, without those I think it makes a big difference on how many people can connect to the type of music.


    HeHe, for me as a German it's easy the great German composers wrote about 3.000 songs to choose :D

    One of the well-known songs from Schubert The Erlking it is famous for singing the song with 5 different voices from one singer and every word has a certain meaning.
    The singer must display a Narrator, a Father, a Child, The Erlking and the Dead:rolleyes:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XP5RP6OEJI
  • mgvsmithmgvsmith Posts: 16,452
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    There are two reasons.

    Firstly, classical music is elitist, especially in relation to its audience.

    Secondly, modern classical music is too challenging and experimental for most listeners.
  • mr mugglesmr muggles Posts: 4,601
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    mgvsmith wrote: »
    There are two reasons.

    Firstly, classical music is elitist, especially in relation to its audience.

    Secondly, modern classical music is too challenging and experimental for most listeners.

    I dont quite get the first point (i'm 'working class' for wont of a label - but I've always aspired beyond my 'roots'). But boy, I get the second point.

    Im quite happy to be labelled elitist! If my ears are open- good for me!
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 273
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    Well mostly because people generalise that its for old, geriatric people. I am only in my 20's and I grew up with classical music and I still listen to it. Also, socially listening to classical music is not acceptable most young people are into the current trendy stuff so due to peer pressure people force themselves to like that stuff. I was one of the outliers I never got into music based on trends just on musical interests. Most young people would rather go see a crappy DJ and pay him big bucks to play s**t music for 4-8 hours.

    No lyrics really? You guys haven't heard opera and choral music have you? Stuff from John Cage is over-rated imo.

    I love these songs and they have lyrics
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1M3DXwJLLI
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqaARDsiJv4


    I am trying to get more kids onto New Age and classical music which is why I have created this channel.

    www.youtube.com/briancrainfan
  • FrankBTFrankBT Posts: 4,216
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    Maybe this is an annoying question and a bit unanswerable. However I often feel my fondness for classical music is a rather lonely pursuit. I guess it just doesn't excite many people. Classical concerts often seemed to be full of people who are 60+. Fine but where are the younger generation?
    There's plenty of younger people at classical concerts, not just silver heads as can be seen at the Proms

    The reason you get more people of a mature age at classical concerts is that as you get older most people get bored or grow away from pop/rock and look for alternative musical outlets. Some find it in jazz, some in classical music while others just give up on music altogether. Once you get into classical music though, especially the more serious stuff, it's with you for life, unlike most pop (Beatles and a few other bands excepted). I mean if you like orchestral film scores from popular composers like John Williams, John Barry, Hans Zimmer etc, it's only a small step-up to enjoying classical music.For me John Barry is one the greatest of all of that lot. He was also the guy that arranged the original James Bond theme and started out backing rock and roll artists (Adam Faith) in the 50s, before becoming a great orchestrator and composer. Bernard Hermann (Psycho, Taxi Driver) is great to listen to also.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    I like light classical but I don't know much about it. Bach is my favourite but I couldn't say what pieces.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 273
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    jackbell wrote: »
    I like light classical but I don't know much about it. Bach is my favourite but I couldn't say what pieces.

    Opening movement of this piece?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOc6I7rxAO8&feature=context-cha
  • mgvsmithmgvsmith Posts: 16,452
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    mr muggles wrote: »
    I dont quite get the first point (i'm 'working class' for wont of a label - but I've always aspired beyond my 'roots'). But boy, I get the second point.

    Im quite happy to be labelled elitist! If my ears are open- good for me!

    Classical music is elitist for a number of reasons.

    Firstly, many classical musicians, critics and listeners would contend that classical music is superior to other forms of music, particularly 'pop' music. The critic Matthew Arnold from the 1860s was a famous proponent of the idea of high culture v pop culture.

    Secondly, Classical music is much more established as a subject for study...the Viennese Conservatory, the Royal School of Music. So the whole concept of trained musician follows from that. Pop music is beginning to make inroads as a subject for study at universities and colleges but only recently.

    Thirdly, the places and context in which classical music is performed tend to reinforce the idea of the superiority of classical music. E.g Church, Royal and formal occasions.

    I am not necessarily endorsing the idea just pointing out why classical music is seen as elitist. I mean I watch elite athletes playing in the English Premier League most weekends and I don't feel excluded from that...or if I do, it's related to the vulgar amount of money those athletes get paid.

    On the modern classical point, it is again arguable that classical music had its high points in past centuries and with the 20th century lost its way a little. Also, the rise of Jazz in the 20th century challenged the classical hegemony to some degree.

    I listen to the more accessible, minimalist composers like Glass, Reich and Adams. Karl Jenkins and James McMillan also on occasion.
  • mushymanrobmushymanrob Posts: 17,992
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    like prog rock, i just dont 'get' it.... seemingly random noises with little or no structure.

    i do like some classical, compositions that do have some structure and melody, im partial to abit of vaughan williams, but generally not. it doesnt connect with me.
  • Glyn WGlyn W Posts: 5,819
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    mgvsmith wrote: »
    There are two reasons.

    Firstly, classical music is elitist, especially in relation to its audience.

    Secondly, modern classical music is too challenging and experimental for most listeners.

    And that is why there ought to be more events like the Doctor Who Proms to challenge (or rather ignore) those two reasons. Get young people interested in the feel of hearing an orchestra playing emotive music that they can recognise, and then let them explore other stuff for themselves...
  • InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    There are all sorts of other factors involved in the popularity of musical genres. People don't go to clubs or pubs to sit and concentrate on the music, they go to dance, to chat, to meet people, to get drunk etc. Classical music isn't the right soundtrack to that kind of activity. It doesn't get played much in workplaces, apart from bookshops and dentists' surgeries. It doesn't sound good in the car, and it doesn't fit with the modern radio format of lots of chatter at breakfast. Yet Classic FM gets over 5 million listeners.

    I don't buy this elitist thing. All music fans are elitist, and we all think our choice of music is the best, regardless of genre. Maybe classical music fans just know they're right. It can't be easy to write parts for 100 people to play at the same time, and make it sound amazing, can it?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,215
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    Gigi4 wrote: »
    For me, it was because it was forced upon me by my parents. They forced me to listen to classical stations and wouldn't let me listen to pop radio. They also made me take piano lessons which I hated. Then in school, it was forced upon me again in classes as the only real music. For me, not liking it was a rebellion thing.

    I wished I'd had the opportunity to have had parents forcing me to have piano lessons and listen to classical music, and I would hope that more parents would do this now, and in schools.
  • shackfanshackfan Posts: 15,461
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    I've never been a great one for lyrics, in fact my brother's always ribbed me about my inability to understand the correct lyrics in songs. I've probably always focused more on the tune and if the lyrics are nonsense not really paid attention to them.

    Me too. Can never remember lyrics, even of some of my fave artists, which is really annoying at concerts when everyone else is singing along in time and I am going "tum-ti-tum-ti-boom" to the tune:eek:
    I like SOME classical stuff but cant really say why I generally prefer rock/pop over classical in the same way I cant tell you why I love chicken but not liver. Thats just the way it is.
  • Elphie_LivesElphie_Lives Posts: 4,455
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    Even when classical music is shown on the telly, like when Nicola Benedetti made it, she was on things like Andrew Marr show. Hardly any young people watch it, I watched it because my parents did and I knew she was going to be on there.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 273
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    Gigi4 wrote: »
    For me, it was because it was forced upon me by my parents. They forced me to listen to classical stations and wouldn't let me listen to pop radio. They also made me take piano lessons which I hated. Then in school, it was forced upon me again in classes as the only real music. For me, not liking it was a rebellion thing.
    Your parents shouldn't really have forced you. Piano is a beautiful instrument and its a fun instrument to learn.
  • mr mugglesmr muggles Posts: 4,601
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    mgvsmith wrote: »
    Classical music is elitist for a number of reasons.

    Firstly, many classical musicians, critics and listeners would contend that classical music is superior to other forms of music, particularly 'pop' music. The critic Matthew Arnold from the 1860s was a famous proponent of the idea of high culture v pop culture.

    Secondly, Classical music is much more established as a subject for study...the Viennese Conservatory, the Royal School of Music. So the whole concept of trained musician follows from that. Pop music is beginning to make inroads as a subject for study at universities and colleges but only recently.

    Thirdly, the places and context in which classical music is performed tend to reinforce the idea of the superiority of classical music. E.g Church, Royal and formal occasions.

    I am not necessarily endorsing the idea just pointing out why classical music is seen as elitist. I mean I watch elite athletes playing in the English Premier League most weekends and I don't feel excluded from that...or if I do, it's related to the vulgar amount of money those athletes get paid.

    On the modern classical point, it is again arguable that classical music had its high points in past centuries and with the 20th century lost its way a little. Also, the rise of Jazz in the 20th century challenged the classical hegemony to some degree.

    I listen to the more accessible, minimalist composers like Glass, Reich and Adams. Karl Jenkins and James McMillan also on occasion.

    I see what you mean:) I guess I wish other people of my background would take some chances musically
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 163
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    Progrez wrote: »
    Your parents shouldn't really have forced you. Piano is a beautiful instrument and its a fun instrument to learn.

    Parents should never force kids to play an instrument but should instead be a role model making music themselves. Classical music shouldn't be treated as elite music at school but as something you can enjoy and have fun with.

    Many people listen to classical music without really noticing when the are at the cinema, most scores are like classical music. So you can't say people don't listen to classical music in general.

    Of course, kids thinking One Direction is music are lost for classical music, but then it is.
  • boddismboddism Posts: 16,436
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    Maybe this is an annoying question and a bit unanswerable. However I often feel my fondness for classical music is a rather lonely pursuit. I guess it just doesn't excite many people. Classical concerts often seemed to be full of people who are 60+. Fine but where are the younger generation?

    Classical music is very elitist and is seen as the preserve of the white, upper middle classes. It doesnt seem that people outside of this group are welcome.

    Bet you dont see many black under 30's at your classical music concerts do you?

    Its the fault of those in the upper echelons of the classical music industry IMO.

    Why cant classical music simply be marketed as very old "pop music" - which essentially it is??

    No-one is intimidated by Elvis or Billie Holiday even though their music is very alien to modern pop of today, Its all in how they are presented to the younger generation.

    The classical music industry seriously needs a radical rethink otherwise falling into irrelevance. There are generations growing up with NO access to classical music, other than movie soundtracks.
  • Yorkie47Yorkie47 Posts: 1,487
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    I'm 66 and classical music has never excited me. (With the odd exception of Paschelbel's Canon - for some reason I absolutely love that.)

    I was thrilled by Elvis when I was 11, loved 60s pop music, excited by electronic music especially Pet Shop Boys, mad on country music. Classical music has never done it for me although I am exposed to it. Hubby loves it and thinks I'm a complete heathen!

    He always hated Elvis but once I caught him having a secret listen to him and he had to admit that I "turned" him, ha!
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