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Leonis · 08-25-2002, 10:32 AM

All very interesting. The poll might be a little misleading as I guess I was thinking along two related but distinct lines and thought I'd kill two birds.

I've been wondering where music is heading - are we still actually at the begining of 'a phase' in popular music? Theoretically, considering how long what we now call classical music prevailed in the west, and taking the common starting point for 'modern music' as the mid fifties, we could be...

Or are those who are saying it's all over right? And something new is developing underneath? Now I know my music history and I feel it's truer to see it as interweaving lines of development rather than 'rock was born in 1955' etc...

But this last century has seen some very fast developments due in part to communication, preservation, performance and composition tools and techniques.

The emergence of the piano would be a similar example of how quickly music can evolve with a few technological advancements.

Looking at styles such as classical, jazz and blues; these are still very popular; they have never been 'over'. It's just that the benchmark has unfortunately become almost entirely based on commercial sales.

So will rock, pop, hip hop, dance, ska

et al go the same way soon - commercially unimpressive compared to whatever is 'most popular' but with large bases of appreciation?

Incedentally the majority of western charts are currently filled with styles that can be traced directly to African folk musics - with major intersections of numerous cultural styles - from the UK and Ireland, Asia, India and Pakistan, Eastern Europe, Mediteranean Europe, Middle East and so on...(I hope no one takes offence at my categories and groupings here, I'm 'streaming' and my fingers can't keep up with my brain [img]smile.gif[/img] )

How far can musical development go? This could be akin to asking how much smaller can technology get? or How much faster can humans run/swim etc...? Only time will tell. (I know about the mathematical limitations on musical variations too but what will be interesting is what gets kept and what gets discarded)

I hope I'm making some sense here...

08-25-2002, 10:32 AM	#8
Leonis Join Date: March 6, 2001 Location: Somewhere on Earth - it changes often Posts: 1,292	All very interesting. The poll might be a little misleading as I guess I was thinking along two related but distinct lines and thought I'd kill two birds. I've been wondering where music is heading - are we still actually at the begining of 'a phase' in popular music? Theoretically, considering how long what we now call classical music prevailed in the west, and taking the common starting point for 'modern music' as the mid fifties, we could be... Or are those who are saying it's all over right? And something new is developing underneath? Now I know my music history and I feel it's truer to see it as interweaving lines of development rather than 'rock was born in 1955' etc... But this last century has seen some very fast developments due in part to communication, preservation, performance and composition tools and techniques. The emergence of the piano would be a similar example of how quickly music can evolve with a few technological advancements. Looking at styles such as classical, jazz and blues; these are still very popular; they have never been 'over'. It's just that the benchmark has unfortunately become almost entirely based on commercial sales. So will rock, pop, hip hop, dance, ska et al go the same way soon - commercially unimpressive compared to whatever is 'most popular' but with large bases of appreciation? Incedentally the majority of western charts are currently filled with styles that can be traced directly to African folk musics - with major intersections of numerous cultural styles - from the UK and Ireland, Asia, India and Pakistan, Eastern Europe, Mediteranean Europe, Middle East and so on...(I hope no one takes offence at my categories and groupings here, I'm 'streaming' and my fingers can't keep up with my brain [img]smile.gif[/img] ) How far can musical development go? This could be akin to asking how much smaller can technology get? or How much faster can humans run/swim etc...? Only time will tell. (I know about the mathematical limitations on musical variations too but what will be interesting is what gets kept and what gets discarded) I hope I'm making some sense here...