On Mar 27, 2008, at 3:28 AM, dhbailey wrote:
Most music appreciation classes leave the class members with the
impression that the historical music history periods all produced
only masterworks by superior composers and fail to address the fact
that much of what was written during those periods is no different
from much which is written during our own lifetimes -- Crap.
I think that every course, middle school, high school or college
level, should be required to begin with the statement of Sturgeon's
Law. And that it should be asked time and again on exams so that
people have a more realistic image of any historical time period,
whether music, literature, dance, or the plastic arts (painting,
sculpture, architecture).
I think I would begin such a class with the statement "90% of
anything is crap. That includes the Baroque Era of music history,
which we will be studying in this class. You're lucky in that we
will be studying the 10% of Baroque music which isn't crap, but I
want you all to remember that while these composers we will be
studying were creating these masterworks, there were many more
composers turning out efficient but hardly worthwhile music that we
won't be studying."
Not to make too strong a case or say that the law was completely
suspended, but it does seem to me that, in reference to American
popular music of (approximately) the first half of the 20th Century,
Sturgeon's percentages need adjustment.
Chuck
Chuck Israels
230 North Garden Terrace
Bellingham, WA 98225-5836
phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
www.chuckisraels.com
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