Classical vs Modern

[Nebulous]

What’s the difference between classical and modern music?

What type of music do you prefer?

[WolfofWords]

What’s the difference between classical and modern music?

What type of music do you prefer?

As usual, I reject the binary choice. Classical music is really great at times and modern music is great at other times.

I started meditating/napping while listening to classical (usually Mozart) in high school and it is still nice to do. Classical music is heavily used in a lot of movies and television that I like. A great piece done live can be really exhilarating.

When I am casually jamming out and especially when I am driving, I listen to modern music. Unfortunately, a lot of classical music has no lyrics and I like to sing along sometimes while driving.

I just watched the West Wing scene from S02E09 "Gallileo" where President Bartlett and his body man Charlie Young are discussing going to an Icelandic music performance.

Charlie Young: Modern music is cool.

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Modern music sucks. Anything written after 1860 sucks.

Charlie Young: Samuel Barber's Symphony No. 2.

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Sucks.

Charlie Young: Stravinsky, Variations on a Theme.

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Sucks.

Charlie Young: Shoenberg, Light and Life for String Orchestra.

President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Totally blows.

Charlie Young: After intermission, they'll be performing the world premiere of a piece...
President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet: Played on teapots and gefilte fish.

The President gripes about it but changes his tune a bit after hearing the music.

BARTLET
Well, first of all, let’s not kid ourselves. The Reykjavik Symphony can play. These guys have some serious game. In this particular case, their talents were tragically misapplied to an atonal nightmare of pretention, but after intermission, they played a piece by a new composer. First, I wasn’t hearing it. I had 19 different things on my mind, but then I did, and C.J., it was magnificent. It was genius. He built these themes, and at the beginning, it was just an intellectual exercise, which is fun enough, I guess, but then in the fourth movement, he just let it go. I really didn’t think I could be surprised by music anymore. I thought about all the times this guy must’ve heard that his music was no good… I’ve got to write this guy a letter.

[scooter]

I had the opportunity to see Jonathan Heyward's first public performance as the new conductor of the Baltimore Symphony. Really marvelous! Inspired.