Classical vs. Popular music

I have listened to The Phantom Of The Opera original cast recording and the movie soundtrack many times and still have not once, gotten bored!!!!

I have similar opinions. This movie left me rather indignant. I'm glad that since it was on television, all I wasted was my time. The ending was horrible.

We live in a time when unfortunately most people cannot distinguish between what is art and what is popular music. It is sad when people truly believe, when it comes to music, that beauty is "in the ear of the listener," in the sense that a Britney Spears track can be just as gratifying for one person as a piece by Mozart for another; her voice as thrilling as Birgit Nilsson's, depending on who's listening. Popular music has always had its place, but till the modern era it has been understood and valued for what it is--base level instant gratification; accessible to the unlearned, unthinking masses; something that will be forgotten shortly and with no great loss.

Seeing the author's name (apparently it's a novel; I've never heard of it), it makes a bit more sense. Why an aspiring pop singer would want to be classically trained when obviously, judging by the very fact that she wants to sing pop, she does not truly appreciate or understand classical music, I have no idea. It could very well have biographical elements. But instead of inducing sympathy for the poor darling, whose cause must really be the worthier, since she's nice and so are the other pop singers and the classically trained are bitches, this movie only intensified my contempt for popular music.

However arrogant this may sound, I feel it strongly, and I think many other fans of classical music would feel it too--once you've seen the light, it's hard not to look down on popular music. I don't look down upon but rather pity people who cannot see all they are missing out on by living their lives to a soundtrack of mind-numbing Top 40 songs. But what is so obvious to some is not obvious to most; and some who know just don't care. If they're happy, I guess we have to let them be, and sit by while they produce silly movies like Brave New Girl that cast a bad light on something beautiful, noble and immortal. If the stereotypes of the snobby professors are at all true, I cannot blame them. I can see how having knowledge and being mocked by an ignorant majority could produce intellectual snobbery.

Growing up I was never very enthusiastic about music; I just didn't see what the fuss was about. But as we only ever listened to the radio, I can understand why. Early in high school I began to listen to music a bit more, because everyone else seemed to think it was great and I supposed I would learn to appreciate it. I bought some pop. I rarely listened to it. But thanks to the internet, I found metal, which technically has to be classified as popular music. That's when my real passion for music began. To me, metal, of all pop, stands out as something worth listening to. Most people don't like metal; it isn't mainstream (not really 'popular' then...). They think it's not catchy enough. It has strange vocals. It's too dark. It's too agressive. In the case of some gothic metal, it's too classical (what's that, operatic vocals, choirs and death growls in one song?!). It doesn't have 'cool' lyrics about sk8er bois and bling. Many metalheads, myself included, also love classical music. There is something in good 'pop' that is reminiscent of classical--complexity, originality, atmosphere, layers, skill. When I find most music unlistenable, and only metal, classical and some alternative styles such as "post rock" listenable, I have to admit that not all pop is worthless. Or perhaps musical classifications need to be revised; not everything can be defined as either Classical or Popular.

<i>I just can't stand a person without training ACTING like they're better than those with training, because lessons sure don't hurt. </i> Interesting comment given that its hardly the 'norm'. I have found it to always be the other way 'round. The disdain is often shown by the trained musician.<p/>Having grown up listening to Saint-Saens, Liszt, Wagner, Bizet's Carmen, and The Barber of Seville, I was also exposed to my siblings' fascination with Led Zepplin, The Doors, Moody Blues, and Joni Mitchell.<p/>Thanks to the whole 'gang' I have an <i>appreciation</i> for ALL music. I believe that classical training definitely helps any musician (piano, at least) but I doubt very many musicians purposely said, "Nah... I'm going to pass on ever taking a music lesson." Don't let environmental/financial/familial influences deceive you. Some people would have killed for a lesson, any lesson. As well, don't pass on voices that are amazing in other ways than technical.

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I love some rock. I also love some classical. But sometimes I wish I had the cash to purchase about fifty pop stations all over the US and blast nothing but "Wozzeck" on every single one of them for twenty four hours a day. Commercial free, too.

Oooooo to be able to purchase MTV and VH1 and do the same thing with filmed performances of it... gahhhhhh the ultimate revenge...

Surely you have to understand that there is good classical music and bad classical music and the came goes for popular music as well.

I wouldn't have thought that classical training is always helpful to move onto pop music. "Learning the rules to know how to break them" as suggested in the film. Freddie Mercury was obviously influenced by opera. While the Rolling Stones picked up their style from listening to untrained blues musicians. Both found fame through rock music.