Message #10786

[Gauk]

Well, you know, from my various observations of the world, I long ago came to the conclusion that a lot of what people call their musical taste has nothing to do with music at all, but is a badge of cultural identity. At some point in their life, someone may decide, probably entirely subconsciously, but based on their social milieu, that "their" music is, let's say hip-hop, and that is what they then play. But equally, it may not be hip-hop, but opera. I'm inherently suspicious of anyone who listens only to opera, that they actually don't care for music at all, they just like opera singing. And ALSO, I think it applies to many people who attend concerts of avant-garde (for want of a better term) music and cheer the music to the roof. Liking Boulez and denigrating Britten becaomes a cultural act and a badge of identity, rather than a purely musical judgement.

That does not mean I am suggesting that all music is equal, far from it. Rather that a lot of what purport to be musical judgements are in fact cultural ones.