Is it OK to NOT like classical music?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Grant, Apr 7, 2013.

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  1. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me! Thread Starter

    In another thread, forum member drasil commented on the lack of sales of classical music, particularly among a certain dempographic.

    I was wondering: is it OK to not like classical music? all of my life, we have been told multiple things about classical music, that only intelligent people listen to it, that only serious musicians and music lovers listen to it, that all modern music is based on it, among other unsavory things I won't get into here. It seems like almost everyone has to validate his or her musical tastes by mentioning some sort of fondness for classical music, as if to say that they are somehow more intelligent because they listen to it. hell, i've even done it!

    But, the overall popularity and sales of classical music, especially of the stuff made before, say, the 50s, is diminishing, and that is no accident, as the generation classical music is more culturally relevant to is dying off. And, younger generations, staring with the WWII baby-boomers, have other types of music they are interested in, such as jazz or blues. By the way, many of the same arguments for jazz and blues are similar to the ones for classical, and i'm starting to see hints of it with rock vs. hip-hop music as well. So, i'm wondering if it is a generational thing where the aging generation is trying to assert their cultural identity in a last gasp before it passes into history.

    At any rate, classical music just doesn't seem to hold any interest with many people today. They may not even like it, and will not hesitate to say so, even if a great portion of the music they like today has elements of it. We even had a recent thread on people not liking a musical genre that spawned the one they do like.

    So, anyway, i'm just wondering if it is OK to not like classical music and not be ashamed of it.
     
  2. nbakid2000

    nbakid2000 On Indie's Cutting Edge

    Location:
    Springfield, MO
    I like it. I don't listen to it all the time, and I don't really spend a ton of money on it (I do occasionally), but yeah, I can see how people would find it boring, especially in this ADD day and age - people like things that hit them immediately and with urgency. They don't have the patience to sit through something that takes a while to "get" or absorb or feel the impact of.

    Anyway, if you don't like classical music....I really don't see any difference between not liking that and not liking something else, like blues.
     
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  3. I think it's OK not to like any form of music including classical. It only becomes objectionable when people make up ignorant and silly arguments that the music is no good in order to justify their dislike.

    Classical music covers a lot of ground. There's a lot that I love and a lot that I have no interest in whatever.
     
  4. Sordel

    Sordel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Switzerland
    Yes, sounds about right.

    I do believe that some music is innately superior to other music, and Classical is one of those types of music, but if someone tells me that they don't like Classical music, I don't think less of them. The music will still be there if they change their mind. Moreover, they may have some very interesting and informed things to say about other forms of music that interest me.
     
    mbleicher1, Mowgli, Zeki and 2 others like this.
  5. ranasakawa

    ranasakawa Forum Resident

    Great reply, 100% agree
     
    CJBx7 likes this.
  6. Jose Jones

    Jose Jones Outstanding Forum Member

    Location:
    Detroit, Michigan
    I have to disagree with your basic premise there. All of my life, nobody has ever told me any of the above-things you mentioned about classical music, least of all unsavory things.

    It sounds like you have an attitude about it separate from the music itself.

    I haven't listened to that much classical music until fairly recently, and that is because there is a nice radio station that plays it within range so I'm dabbling in it that way. I've yet to buy any classical music beyond cheap vinyl at the local friends of the public library sales they have monthly. But it's a start.
     
  7. I think many people mature into Classical music listening, as they age and contemporary music speaks to them less and less. Particularly the people that aren't exposed to it as children. Something you might find dated or worthless at age 15 or 20 is often a different story in your later years.
     
  8. Metralla

    Metralla Joined Jan 13, 2002

    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    No, it's not OK to not like classical music, but it is perfectly OK to not be ashamed of it. ;)
     
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  9. detroit muscle

    detroit muscle MIA

    Location:
    UK
    Well, I listen to it so you can throw that assumption out the window.

    There is as much range to classical music as there is with pop/ rock. Some of it I love, some I don't. Your taste is your taste and if something doesn't connect with you it's no problem. A lot of people seem to define themselves by what they hate rather than what they like. There are still so many presumptions about classical music that some people will dismiss classical music more as a comment on their feelings about the classical 'demographic' just as hip-hop or punk or rock 'n' roll in the 50's was dismissed.
     
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  10. T'mershi Duween

    T'mershi Duween Forum Resident

    Location:
    Y'allywood
    No!

    No pudding for you.

    :D
     
  11. NickDanger

    NickDanger Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lancaster PA
    Last I heard, there's no law against it.
     
  12. I guess it's ok since it's your loss.
     
  13. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I love it, but we all have different tastes in music...it's perfectly acceptable that you don't like Classical Music.:)
     
    Jarleboy and SandAndGlass like this.
  14. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me! Thread Starter

    First of all, I have not told you my opinion of classical music, or if I like it because first: this thread isn't about me, and second: I did not want to throw off the topic as you are doing.

    Yes, we have been told that classical music will make you smarter, that babies are smarter if they are exposed to classical music, and we have ever seen studies to support it. But, none of the studies are conclusive. We have had people on this very forum state that classical is more involved because or the nature of the composition. We have had religious types in the 50s and 60s tell us that only civilized people listen to classical music, and we shouldn't have to go into specifics about why they would say this.

    I am not talking about if you believe classical music is superior or not. That is not the purpose of this thread.


    This is neither an appreciation or a bashing thread.
     
  15. MrBigShow

    MrBigShow Active Member

    Location:
    United States
    No. Lol. You can like or dislike anything you want. That is one of the great freedoms.
     
    Grant likes this.
  16. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me! Thread Starter

    And, that is a point i'd like to make: it's fine to dislike pop, rap, rock, country, or whatever else there is, but it seems that, for some reason, it is somehow wrong to not like classical. Who made the rule that says you have to like it?
     
  17. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    No, Grant, it's not OK.
     
  18. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    In my case, classical is best enjoyed performed live. I personally have a tough time building a strong desire to cue up classical at home, ahead of more traditional music. But nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than enjoying The Dallas Symphony perform at the Meyerson :D
     
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  19. I think that's a close minded approach. Like saying it is ok not to like rock or jazz or country. Like all genres there are all sub styles. There is classical music that bores me just like rock and then there are lots of stunning pieces and recordings that just wow me. you should be open as there is always something wonderful out there to discover.
     
  20. Jgirar01

    Jgirar01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    It took me awhile to gain a liking for classical music but recently I have bought and listened toa few cheap vinyl classical records and I am beginning to come around. But yes, it's ok not to like any kind of music, except of course the Grateful Dead.
     
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  21. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me! Thread Starter

    With pure music lovers like us, I agree. But, most people only like a few types of music, and for them, not liking something is OK. Unfortunately, we have to live in the same world together.
     
  22. Grant

    Grant Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me! Thread Starter

    Since some of you seem to think I created this thread because you think I dislike classical music, you are wrong. I have stated many times in this forum's history that I like classical music. I grew up with it and played it in school. I own some classical music. I have even told of the time I would stop playing outside with my friend when I heard my mom put on my favorite classical album. I would come inside and sit in front of the stereo.

    I started this thread because I thought of how other people feel about it, not me. And, I agree with Steve's point that it is NOT OK to dislike ANY type of music, but this is not how most people think, even people on this forum.

    Now, that's out of the way, so let's more away from that. OK?
     
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  23. Purple Jim

    Purple Jim Senior Member

    Location:
    Bretagne
    It's not right to blanket it off like that. I'm not a big classical listener but I am very curious to hear everything and if you search, you will find some that is beautiful, exciting, haunting,... whatever. Keep searching.
     
  24. If you are talking about what you see and hear as traditional classical , which is broad right off the bat, yiummight want to venture out as there are some really cool twentieth century artists and composers to check out. Kronos Quartet, the Rachels, Arvo Part, John Cage, Harry Parch, Steve Reich. But I have to bring Up the Beatles again, who really introduced me at a young age to some of the classics. Wagner's Prelude to Lohengrin in Help! And Beethovens 9th in the same film and then of course the end of A Day in the Life. Brilliant. Stanley Kubrick who used classical music brilliantly in both 2001 and A Clockwork Orange also pointed me in new direction but working in a record store in the 7os allows me the chance to check out so much more, including the classics like Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and so many others.
     
  25. Rose River Bear

    Rose River Bear Senior Member

    I have around 5,000 classical CDs. Sometimes I sit down and say...I want to listen to Mahler's Sixth Symphony. I put it on and around half way thru it I think....the hell with this. Out come the Raspberries. :D
    For many like me that also listen to classical, it is a love/hate relationship sometimes.

    It takes a lot of concentration to listen to some classical music pieces, others not so much. I think that is why some of it has fallen out of favor. Stuff like Mozart, Some Beethoven are still listened to. The more complex stuff like Scriabin, Mahler, Messiaen are really becoming obscure to the masses.

    So, no it is OK to not like it....sometimes I don't like it so much either. But, sometimes I go nutsy over it. Hope that helps. :D
     
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