Brits revealed as Classically Clueless

[False_Dmitry]

The Reader's Digest survey of 1,516 people also found that most were unable to link composers to their masterpieces. Three out of four (75%) did not know that Elgar wrote Pomp and Circumstance, and 27% did not even know he was a composer. Sixty-eight percent did not know Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/aug/23/classical-music-survey-britons-clueless

[jhar26]

I think it's the same everywhere. In fact I'm a bit surprised that 32% of them actually know that Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture.

[Florestan]

Classical music at its best can be moving, life-enhancing and uplifting.

And at its worst?

[some guy]

"Brits" are not a homogenous group of people who all act and think the same. Indeed, no such group exists, anywhere. (Something our dear friend JdP might try to consider next time he thinks about women composers, eh?)

Lumping people together like this is called racism, and racism is not one of the pretty things.

Besides, Reader's Digest (I'd like to know more about these 1,516 people (what a strange number) and how they were chosen, too. "Do you know anything about classical music?" "Not really." "Good, I have a bunch of questions about Elgar and Tchaikovsky for you!")

[False_Dmitry]

Lumping people together like this is called racism, and racism is not one of the pretty things.

Twaddle.

[The new erato]

Lumping people together like this is called racism, and racism is not one of the pretty things.

Only if it is tied to racial generalisations.

And what you are basically saying in the rest of your post is that generalisations are useless. I disagree. They are useful if you understand the characteristivs of the group they are applied to (eg all britons). 

[Tsaraslondon]

As Sir Thomas Beecham once quipped, "It is quite untrue that British people don't appreciate music. They may not understand it but they absolutely love the noise it makes."

[False_Dmitry]

Only if it is tied to racial generalisations.

And what you are basically saying in the rest of your post is that generalisations are useless. I disagree. They are useful if you understand the characteristivs of the group they are applied to (eg all britons).

Yes, exactly.  What ties "Brits" together is being citizens/subjects of the United Kingdom - an accident of birth over which they have choice whatsoever.  Welsh, Cornish, Scots, Irish (N Ireland), Manx and many other peoples are citizens of the UK, whether willingly or otherwise.  To suggest there is some "racial" element about being a Brit is ignorance of the most woeful kind, and displays a love of gob-opening to zero effect (other than offence and ridicule). 

[Josquin des Prez]

To suggest there is some "racial" element about being a Brit is ignorance of the most woeful kind, and displays a love of gob-opening to zero effect (other than offence and ridicule).

British culture is very much dependent on the racial element of the British people. If you were to magically replace every single native born Englishman with an Arab or an African, everything you know about Britain, its culture, history, its literature, it would all just fizzle out of existence, lock, stock and barrel. This is reality. But then, i understand truth doesn't matter much to the ideologue. All it matters is your own distorted point of view, and any dissenting opinion must be met with no less then offense and ridicule.

[Lethevich]

"Classical music [...] should be accessible to all."

Because those Naxos CDs in shops are so often kept within locked cages, surrounded by dangerous traps that only those in the know can navigate through Elitist bastards!

[Mirror Image]

I think pretty much the entire world is classically clueless. With the emergence of so many different styles of music in the last 60 years, it's no surprise that a big name composer like Beethoven or Brahms is seldom talked about in today's time. Times are different now, people's tastes have evolved into other fields of music. Thankfully, there are still folks that believe in this music and forums like this one are only further evidence of this.

[71 dB]

The Reader's Digest survey of 1,516 people also found that most were unable to link composers to their masterpieces. Three out of four (75%) did not know that Elgar wrote Pomp and Circumstance, and 27% did not even know he was a composer. Sixty-eight percent did not know Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/aug/23/classical-music-survey-britons-clueless

How surprising is this considering how efectively people are made by media to think Lady Gaga is the most important thing that has happened in music?

[Chaszz]

Whatever. The UK has the BBC which not only broadcasts a lot of classical music over several stations and webstreams but actually maintains its own symphony orchestra(s) (I can't figure out if it's one or two.) Show me another nation which does as much for the music. So how about laying off the Brits?

(The main problem with the BBC websites is the difficulty of wading through all the sections to find out what is actually available for listening currently and how to turn it on.) 

[False_Dmitry]

British culture is very much dependent on the racial element of the British people. If you were to magically replace every single native born Englishman with an Arab or an African, everything you know about Britain, its culture, history, its literature, it would all just fizzle out of existence, lock, stock and barrel.

Bravo.  Go and repeat that nonsense in a bar in Edinburgh or Cardiff, and you'll find yourself very short of people offering to stand you drinks afterwards.

Using "British" and "English" interchangeably is the first mistake of the casual visitor.  It's a mistake they quickly unlearn - sometimes forcibly.

I honestly don't stand in any need of your "lessons" about who the Brits are, or about their culture - since I was born there myself, thanks.

[Daverz]

I depend on GMG for keeping me up to date on the racist perspective on all sorts of musical questions.

[False_Dmitry]

How surprising is this considering how efectively people are made by media to think Lady Gaga is the most important thing that has happened in music?

I like Lady Gaga.  I like Hummel.  I like Harrison Birtwistle.  I like Verdi.  I like Ockeghem.  I like John Zorn.  I like Berg.  I like Philipoctus da Caserta.

I like gorgonzola - but I don't eat it for every meal

[Wendell_E]

If you were to magically replace every single native born Englishman with an Arab or an African, everything you know about Britain, its culture, history, its literature, it would all just fizzle out of existence, lock, stock and barrel.

And if we were to replace every single native born Englishman with, say, a white Italian, Russian, Frenchman, or German, that wouldn't happen???

[karlhenning]

How surprising is this considering how efectively people are made by media to think Lady Gaga is the most important thing that has happened in music?

The media do not affect me in that way, for I am a freethinker.

[Josquin des Prez]

I like Lady Gaga.  I like Hummel.  I like Harrison Birtwistle.  I like Verdi.  I like Ockeghem.  I like John Zorn.  I like Berg.  I like Philipoctus da Caserta.

I like gorgonzola - but I don't eat it for every meal

Cultural decline in a nutshell. By definition, a discriminating person always begins with "I dislike".

[karlhenning]

By definition, a discriminating person always begins with "I dislike".

Nah.  A discriminating person knows that an umbrella is not needed in the sunshine, nor shaded glasses at night.  There isn't any imperative for dislike in him who is discriminating, but in perceiving contexts and suitability.