[lbo-talk] Language, music, and Kenneally

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Wed Sep 2 20:53:20 PDT 2009


On Sep 3, 2009, at 12:33 AM, Miles Jackson wrote:


> Sure, but you'd be just as wowed by music in a 24-tone scale if that
> were the dominant tone system in the music you listened to all your
> life. I agree that Bach and Beethoven are important to us, but
> that's because our social practices make that music important.
> That's true in any society, regardless of the tone system used.

Tell it to Yo Yo Ma, or all the Koreans at Juilliard.

Look, I realize that there are many great musical cultures besides our own. But I don't like it when people refuse to admit that a lot of the Western canon is truly great.

Doug



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