The Weakest Link

[urtextmeister]

It is easy to find those less informed than ourselves about classical music and it is tempting to poke fun at them. I could, for instance, relate tales from my years as a clerk in a music store ("do you have the 'taco bell cannon?' "I would like to buy 'prelude to the afternoon on a farm." "Could you tell me who wrote the lyrics to 'The Lord's Prayer?") but I won't. Because I am keenly aware of my own shortcomings. I know very little about architecture, auto mechanics, and so many other things.

Here is an interesting question: if you asked the average peasant on the hillside to name some Beethoven works, would he be able to (this is assuming Beethoven had already composed them)?

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by ruudp:
You know what's even worse....
I'm in a musicband and 17 years old...I've devoted myslef to classical music and love it I even write my own music in the "classical"way *If one may call it that way* because of these 2 characeristics of mine I'm looked DOWN upon. they find me strange and annoy me with stupid remarks too tell me just how strange I am...THAT'S frustrating *sigh*


Greetz Ruud

The same for me, I'm 19 and I also compose in the classical way (I even avoid using valve horns, naturals sound better) in a country where I'm expected to know all there is to know of 30 teams on the soccer national league, 20 stupid bands of lame popular music who play the same thing and I'm also expected to know how to dance those things and be a "latino dancer/lover". Generally people in my condition (who spend all their money on a new set of Symphonies by Beethoven et al) and are extremely devoted to classical music are looked down as "elitist, hater of this country's culture (this one hurts)", and all this makes me wish I was born in other country not Brazil.

[This message has been edited by Rutradelusasa (edited 05-03-2004).]

[King Stephen]

Sad, Sad, Sad.
When I first introduce Beethoven to school children the first statement I get is "Oh I know Beetoven, he is a big dog". (From the movie)
Steve

[ruudp]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
Sad, Sad, Sad.
When I first introduce Beethoven to school children the first statement I get is "Oh I know Beetoven, he is a big dog". (From the movie)
Steve

LOL...
But in some parts of the netherlands it's SOOOO sad that even 16/17 year old connect beethoven with a big dumb dog.

[Joy]

Originally posted by Amalie:
Oh well, look on the bright side, At least they connected the 9th with Beethoven.

True!



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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Joy]

Originally posted by v russo:
Beethoven, isn't that the dude that rings on a cell phone? Last night at Carnegie Hall, in the middle of Vaughan Williams, "A Sea Symphony" some knuckle heads phone went off to the digitized version of the 'Fur Elize'.

...sigh...

I heard last week on the radio that Beethoven's Fur Elise is the most popular cell phone tune...and so it goes...



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'Truth and beauty joined'

[King Stephen]

Originally posted by Joy:
True!

Joy, The kids in school, until told differently, think the ode to joy theme comes from a commercial for Starz cable station in which the theme is sung over and over to "Movies, Movies, Movies" etc. They also link the theme to the movie "Die Hard". Poor Ludwig......

[Joy]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
Joy, The kids in school, until told differently, think the ode to joy theme comes from a commercial for Starz cable station in which the theme is sung over and over to "Movies, Movies, Movies" etc. They also link the theme to the movie "Die Hard". Poor Ludwig......

I'v heard that commercial too many times! I was first introduced to the 'Ode to Joy' theme many, many years ago watching the Olympics and they always played that theme at the closing credits. I fell in love with it and I had to ask who is that person who wrote that? I knew I wanted to learn more about him and the music I was so enthralled by it and the rest 'is history'. The important thing is if you hear his music and it does something to you and you want to find out more about it then it's done it's job.



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'Truth and beauty joined'

[v russo]

Originally posted by Joy:
I heard last week on the radio that Beethoven's Fur Elise is the most popular cell phone tune...and so it goes...

believe it.



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v russo

[sean82uk]

I once heard someone when the subject of classical music come up say he ''liked that song from Die Hard'' (ode to joy)