> It seems to me that every criterion you've given for asserting the > superior > merit of Bach's music to just about everything else is subjective, and, > yet, > you seem to be asserting some sort of objective superiority to Bach's > music. > So far, to my mind, complexity is the only objective criterion that has > been > discussed. If complexity is the criterion for asserting superiority, than > I > would agree Bach is superior to most pop/rock, but Frank Zappa has written > some pretty complex rock. What objective criteria are there for assessing > the objective superiority of one composer's music over another's other > than > complexity? > > Of course we make distinctions. Which is what we do when we say we prefer > one piece of music over another. But, it seems to me, to assert that one > piece of music is objectively superior to another is to impugn the taste > of > one who prefers the supposedly inferior music. This I think easily lends > itself to elitism and snobbery. However it would be a mistake to confuse or conflate these two notions. The second is not only infinitely worse than the first, but often acts in reverse fashion, alleging the inferiority of the superior (cf. Mark Wheeler). RT
> > I think beauty is truly in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. > > Gary > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 7:19 AM > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Blackmore, was : A "normal" voyce ? > > > >> >> But to not make distinctions - decisions about which >> of things has more merit - is to go against deeply >> ingrained human desires and experiences. It is >> actually no less than denying one's own self. >> >> Do you have trouble making a decision between a >> well-cooked meal and a poorly cooked one? I'll bet >> you don't! (I've had more of the former.) Can you >> say that whole types of approaches to food preparation >> are much better than others - say, fast-food >> McDonald's vs. a slow-food gourmet restaurant? I >> _hope_ you can. And I'll bet you don't think highly >> of people who don't take the mental effort to >> appreciate the distinction between a Big Mac and a >> Beef Wellington. I know which I prefer. Still, I'll >> admit to eating (and even being able to swallow) >> McDonald's a couple of times a year. >> >> Yes indeed, Bach's music is better than Led >> Zeppelin's, _far_ better, in fact. But not just >> because it is more complex. (Otherwise, we'd have to >> give the award of "best music" to Boulez or Babbitt or >> some obscure logarithmist.) >> >> I would argue that Bach's music is among the best >> works of art that the human race has _ever_ produced, >> regardless of time, place, or society. But that >> doesn't mean that his music is the absolute best at >> everything, nor does it invalidate other types of >> music. I would doubt that a Bach fugue would relate >> to the specific everyday experieces of the inner-city >> street thug, for instance - that's where hip-hop came >> from. But beyond the banal accidents of day to day >> life, deep in the soul of that person, there is >> something in the music of Bach that speaks to the soul >> in ways that a hip-hop ditty never, ever can; now or >> in a million years. >> >> Yes, better. >> >> Chris >> >> >> >> __________________________________________________ >> Do You Yahoo!? >> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around >> http://mail.yahoo.com >> >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >> >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.428 / Virus Database: 268.13.17/505 - Release Date: > 10/27/2006 3:15 PM >> >> > > > > ___________________________________________________________ $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB Transfer 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. Signup at www.doteasy.com
