On Thu, Aug 31, 2006 at 03:57:32PM -0400, Thomas D. Cox, Jr. wrote:
> i dont think i agree with this part though. i feel like truly great
> music speaks to all people, reguardless of what their "taste" might
> be. for example, as a favor at our wedding, my wife and i made mix
> CDs. the number of people whom have commented to us about them since
> then is insane. they really LOVE them. and the first track is carl
> craig's "a wonderful life"! theres tracks from 50s r+b to disco to
> techno to rock on there. and the songs are such that they speak to the
> peoples' souls directly. and we got comments from people from age 11
> to age 70. music is probably the most universal language there is for
> the human species. the best music does the same thing, reguardless of
> who made it or where it comes from.
>
> tom
>
Though I do believe that some of the greatest art manages to convey
something without you necessarily needing knowledge beforehand about its
background or cultural context, I don't think that is true to most art,
even truly excellent art.
Whether it is visual or musical, even 99.999999% of the most excellent
examples of art have a certain cultural relativity to them and to
appreciate it you need to have a certain grasp of the context.
If someone gave your mix CD to some bushmen or nomadic tribe that is
unfamiliar with Western music, would they feel that the music speaks to
their souls the same way your wedding guests did?
If you had given the guests at your wedding party a mix CD of Chinese
opera, Tibetan chants, Appalachian yodelling and musique concrete, do you think
the music would speak to their souls?
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