Unpopular Opinions

[Sergeant Rock]

Unfortunately, much as I enjoy the Dvorak symphonies...after a while I couldn't really tell one from another.

You win the thread! That is an unpopular opinion.

Sarge

[Madiel]

There is no such thing as absolute music. All music is essentially expressive.

The opposite of "absolute" is "programme". Not "expressive".

[71 dB]

My former working pal made his own "Airas-keyboard" for Finnish language 20 years ago.

https://web.archive.org/web/20120208090148/http://mairas.net/projects/nappaimisto.php

[Monsieur Croche]

Melody is hugely over-rated as one of the most important elements of (classical) music.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

There is no such thing as absolute music. All music is essentially expressive.

Go read some ETA Hoffmann and come back and tell us about it.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

My former working pal made his own "Airas-keyboard" for Finnish language 20 years ago.

https://web.archive.org/web/20120208090148/http://mairas.net/projects/nappaimisto.php

Very cool! Same principle? I quite like these and would like to learn to type with one. 

[71 dB]

Very cool! Same principle?

Yes, I believe it's the same principle that is behind Dvorak, only for Finnish language. 

[Florestan]

I wonder in what terrible universe of not at all great education someone got the idea that non-programmatic music (absolute music) = "Not Expressive" Music. 

You should address this point to Stravinsky. It is he who maintained that music is esentially powerless to express anything at al.

[Florestan]

The opposite of "absolute" is "programme". Not "expressive".

Carl Dahlhaus describes absolute music as music without a "concept, object, and purpose". I still maintain that there is no such thing.

[Madiel]

Carl Dahlhaus describes absolute music as music without a "concept, object, and purpose". I still maintain that there is no such thing.

So let me get this straight. Your response to the standard absolute/programme music distinction is to use a definition of something you don't believe in.

Well that's a novel approach, I'll give you that much. But not a very productive one.

[Florestan]

So let me get this straight. Your response to the standard absolute/programme music distinction is to use a definition of something you don't believe in.

Well that's a novel approach, I'll give you that much. But not a very productive one.

Well, the thread is about unpopular, not productive opinions. And given the reactions so far, mine is quite unpopular.

[Madiel]

Well, the thread is about unpopular, not productive opinions. 

See, I'm not sure you've even got that right. The normal approach is to express an idiosyncratic opinion. What you did was offer a pretty standard opinion by rejecting someone else's idiosyncratic idea.

EDIT: And in response to your edit, no, what's unpopular is your chosen definition of "absolute" music. Both myself and Monsieur Croche think it's absurd. Given that you can't claim credit for the definition, YOU haven't expressed an unpopular opinion. Some other bloke has.

[Florestan]

See, I'm not sure you've even got that right. The normal approach is to express an idiosyncratic opinion. What you did was offer a pretty standard opinion by rejecting someone else's idiosyncratic idea.

EDIT: And in response to your edit, no, what's unpopular is your chosen definition of "absolute" music. Both myself and Monsieur Croche think it's absurd. Given that you can't claim credit for the definition, YOU haven't expressed an unpopular opinion. Some other bloke has.

I'm not interested in, much less going to, getting into an argument with you. I must say*, though, that you have a tendency to take too seriously and too literally everything you read and to split hairs about it. It's probably because of your job so I don't take it personally at all --- it's just that a little detachment and sense of relativity could only do you a lot of service when it comes to internet boards communication. 

*In the most friendly manner and with absolutely no offense meant. 

[Ken B]

Well, the thread is about unpopular, not productive opinions. And given the reactions so far, mine is quite unpopular.

But is it atonal?

[North Star]

Decaux' La mer (the final piece of Clairs de lune) is better than Debussy's. 

[Madiel]

I'm not interested in, much less going to, getting into an argument with you. I must say*, though, that you have a tendency to take too seriously and too literally everything you read and to split hairs about it. It's probably because of your job so I don't take it personally at all --- it's just that a little detachment and sense of relativity could only do you a lot of service when it comes to internet boards communication. 

*In the most friendly manner and with absolutely no offense meant. 

What you mean is that I start with the working assumption that people said things for a reason. As opposed to being drunk and bored.

[Florestan]

What you mean is that I start with the working assumption that people said things for a reason.

No. What I mean is that you start with the working assumption that they say things for a serious and important reason.

Come on, my friend, internet posts are not legislative articles. 

As opposed to being drunk and bored.

Both of them are as good a reason for posting as any other. (For the record, I was neither drunk nor bored when I posted).

[Ken B]

Decaux' La mer (the final piece of Clairs de lune) is better than Debussy's. 

BROTHER!!!

I must listen to that sometime. 

[Madiel]

Both of them are as good a reason for posting as any other. (For the record, I was neither drunk nor bored when I posted).

My bigger problem is why I choose to read.

[Florestan]

My bigger problem is why I choose to read reply.

Ftfy.