Not a Case of Classical vs. Nonclassical
During a recent discussion about what are “valid” musical forms, I thought the best way to answer this was by describing what I’ve listened to over the years.
So, here it is!
There was a time in college when I used to listen to reggae. And Bach. But now, I never listen to reggae, and frequently listen to Bach. That must be telling.
I think it means that reggae music doesn’t have what it takes to keep me interested over the years that Bach does. I can still find new passages, and like different passages in the same Bach pieces (the violin concertos in this example) than I no longer do in Bob Marely’s “Exodus” – which I find overplayed now.
I’ve bought pop music for a specific song. But hardly go through the whole CD.
The last non-classical CD I bought is a compilation of Jacques Brel songs, who is the European version of Leonard Cohen – who I really don’t like (sorry for LC fans.) But Brel, who is Belge, has an incredible sense of poetry, and some of his pieces could be small musical/operettas especially his song “Madeleine”. He’s a classic…
Oh yes, I just bought Kate Bush CDs, her very early works. She’s not really poppy, but more modern-classical/opera, if such a term existed.
And talking about popular opera, I suppose Kurt Weil’s “Little Threepenny Opera”, would fit that bill, which I think the secondary opera singer Julia Migenes does a great job singing.
So, I guess I like operatic pop songs, if not cabaret stylized ones.
These pop songs certainly have that quality, that I still kind of listen to:
The latest from INXS – “Afterglow”. Oasis’ “Morning glory”. Also a Canadian group called The Tea Party (a kind of more operatic U2!). And earlier a Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the bridge”. Santana’s “Black Magic Woman”. Canadian musicians Hawksley Workman’s “I’m jealous of your cigarette” and Rufus Wainwright’s whole album “Rufus Wainwright”. John Coltrane’s “My favorite things”. And the Doors!
Non classical music that, I must say, I love are the Beatles and David Bowie. Both I think are modern classics. I still listen to the Beatles over the years. Bowie is harder because he’s up and down, but his 90s works are all good (I don’t know much about his “Glam rock” days). I think the early Kate Bush – “Lion Heart” and “Kick Inside” – are also classics.
I find that bluegrass music is my most recent discovery. It sounds like a very intricate Bach riff. It sounds also partly improvised, which I think is quite amazing.
Some CDs I bought recently:
Mozart’s Horn Concertos
Albeniz’s “Asturias” and “Granados” (for piano)
Vaughn Williams’ “The Lark Ascending”
Kate Bushe’s “Lion Heart” and “Kick Inside”
Jacques Brel - compilation Vol. 1 - which includes the beautiful "Le Plat Pays", and "Madeleine"!
Dolly Parton’s “The Grass is Blue”
On my last bus trip to Ottawa I took:
Kodaly’s Solo Cello Sonata Op 8, and Duo for Violin and Cello Op. 7
Faure’s and Durufle’s Requiems
And Bach’s Violin Conertos (for two and single violins).
So, the only thing I can say about my “taste” is that I find some music has kept me interested over the years. And that I keep finding new things in them all the time.
Others, and this is usually pop music (Madonna is a great example), I find I listen to certain songs when they came out, but I never go back to them.
It doesn’t really seem to be classical vs. non-classical as much as how the music is put together, how interesting it is, and if I return to it even after one year. That is what I call enduring music. The others seem to me to be just pleasant “pop”.