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#108763 07/27/03 07:21 PM
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But we know of what we're talking, don't we?

What do you mean we, keemosabe?

Therein lies the problem. A general term means we aren't saying anything specific about any specific thing. I love 'em. Use 'em allah time. However, I'm aware it's kinda like saying "He's got an old car" to me, satin or wwh, or saying it to a recent high school graduate. Without some specific form of reference the high school graduate probably immediately thinks "it breaks down often and is probably a bit rusty" whereas *we'd probably ask (or be wondering) what decade it was from. Being general may be sufficient, neccesary or even desireable to keep the long story short but, in the case of the word 'Classical' (as I've said before) it was pre-facto used specifically, just as you using the word 'Baroque' to describe something specific will futher the process of that person's "sense of" understanding why you call it 'Baroque'.

But what a boorish snob I would be to educate a casual acquaintance who simply wanted to know, "Do you really like classical music like Bach's and Beethoven's?"

So your answer would be "Yes/No" -vs- "what do you mean by 'like Bach's or Beethoven's'"? [Groucho-e]

--------

Wham, bam, thank you max.

#108764 07/28/03 01:04 AM
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maybe we should ask how the one specific term, "Classical" came to be used for the general? and was it always thus?

obviously it wasn't *always...

[smirk]



formerly known as etaoin...
#108765 07/28/03 02:19 AM
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good question, eta...while we refer to classic literature, for instance, we don't refer to a "Classical literature" as some generalistic genre. So why not "Symphony music" or "Symphonic music"...but wait, we do have "Parlor Music" for (classical) string-quartet and harpsichord works, for instance...hmmm.


#108766 07/28/03 05:58 AM
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a more efficient word?

Well, I have heard the term, 'Art music'. I always assumed that it was the umbrella genre under which all the different styles (classical, romantic, etc.) were grouped. Somewhat like art cinema, I imagine. Since none of you have mentioned this term, I now wonder if I have read too much into its meaning. What does art music really mean?





#108767 07/28/03 12:51 PM
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I was going to suggest "art music", too, since my music history book, which covers a bit of everything in Western music from before Baroque to 20th century stuff, also uses "art music", probably to lessen confusion once it actually starts discussing Classical music.


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