May I apologise in advance for this thread being rather off-topic, but I guess that some
music-lovers might find it interesting....if in a rather sad way.
We all know that GG's view of the purpose of art (including music!) was " not the release of a
momentary ejection of adrenaline, but rather the gradual lifelong construction of a state of
wonder and serenity." I also seem to remember , maybe aeons ago, a brief discussion on F-Minor of
his comments that the omnipresence of music in everyday life, (in shopping malls, elevators,
workplaces etc) , forced on the listener without his voluntary choice, somehow devalued the whole
experience of music. If my memory here is wrong, no doubt someone will tell me!)
Well, it seems that someone has now found a new purpose for such piped public music.And it has
nothing to do with wonder, serenity, or even inducing a feeling of relaxation and positivity in
public places.
A couple of nights ago there was a news item on TV, about a chain of supermarkets (I forget which)
in South East England that had a problem with young people congregating in its entrances in the
evening, and upsetting other people. There was no suggestion or evidence that any of the young
people were breaking any law, or being threatening; but apparently other potential shoppers felt
"intimidated" by their behaviour and were avoiding the stores. But hey! The store management
thought up an ideal solution to drive the youngsters away, without any verbal or physical
nastiness. You've guessed it - they decided to play classical music over loudspeakers in the store
entrances, because they knew that young people would find this unpleasant and intolerable and would
vacate the area forthwith!
And so it was. The ploy worked, the young people went away presumably to meet up somewhere else.
(They interviewed a couple of the young guys who admitted the music was uncool and they didnt wasnt
to hang around where they could hear it. Apparently one of the best deterrents to youth was
Mozart's 40th symphony , I forget what else drove them away.)
The TV reporter presented this as if it was an amusing anecdote, but I felt : What a sad story! I
realise of course that everyone has their own favourite types of music, and there is no reason why
everyone should appreciate the classical type. But what kind of a society is it which uses what are
arguably some of the most beautiful creations of the human mind as a sort of repellent to young
people seen as 'undesirable"? I know that there are many youngsters who appreciate classical music
as well as other kinds. if thy are introduced to it in a positive way; but what kind of message is
it sending out to use music as a means of driving people away?
I amgine that GG would find this sad too. What a negation of his idea that music can induce a
state of ecstasy! Even if, wryly, he might agree that Mozart was an ideal deterrent.
Kate (sorry if I am over-reacting!)
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake
in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may
act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible. "
T. E. Lawrence, "The Seven