Re: [F_MINOR] O/T ... a misuse of music?

[lstanwyk <lstanwyk@RYERSON.CA>]

Musical tastes, and the understading thereof, are about as varied as the
religions of the world.  And music, to many of us, is indeed a
religion.  Mind you, there are also many who don't give a hoot about
music at all.. Sad, since we hope that everyone would share our view on
the brilliance, beauty and depth of, say, a Schubert Impromptu, or
emphatically empathize with the epiphanic altitudes some classical music
passages take us F minor folks to.. but as we know, just like differing
religions, this is not the case.  Shopping malls around the world are
about mass consumer commercial culture and not about enriching our
souls...

I doubt that lawsuit went anywhere...  and I wonder which civil right
they claimed had been violated?  The right to loiter and intimidate?  :D

L


Eric Cline wrote:
>
> Actually, I read years ago that shopping malls in the US were using
> classical music for the same reasons. I also seem to remember that there was
> a lawsuit involving some black youths who claimed in their suit that the
> tactic was racist and was a violation of their civil rights. For some
> reason, I am thinking this happened in Buffalo, NY where I grew up. I have
> no idea where the lawsuit went.
>
> Everytime I go to a shopping mall and hear classical music in the
> background, I wonder if this is to keep the "loitering" youths away. I agree
> what a shame. I have been a devoted classical music lover since I was four
> years old. I grew up on Glenn Gould. True story: I used to take one of his
> LP's to Kindergarten with me every day - It was his recording of Beethoven
> Sonatas 8, 14 and 23. Classical music has enriched my life beyond what words
> can describe. It has given me a deeper appreciation of other art forms as
> well, and taught me to be creative in a wide variety of areas in my life. I
> can't think of a type of music that [unless it is that assinine White
> Supremacist Rock music, like "Prussian Blue".] , when played quitely in the
> background, would drive me away. I agree this is so sad. I wonder what is
> says about our civilization....
>
> Eric Cline
> Group Leader in Charge of
> Irrelevant Decisions
> U.S Department of Silly Walks
> Monty Python Division
> e-mail: cheapchemist@netzero.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: F_Minor [mailto:F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU]On Behalf Of pzumst
> Sent: Saturday, November 19, 2005 5:40 PM
> To: F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU
> Subject: Re: [F_MINOR] O/T ... a misuse of music?
>
> G'day Kate
> (First of all I'd like to apologize for adding some stuff to this
> off-topic threat, but  I find the subject quite interesting. I think
> that current developments in music and technology and its use  (online
> stores, IPods and the recent post from Mary Jo about Sony's blocking
> software etc) are quite fascinating ! What a shemae that GG, McLuhan and
> Neil Postman did not live long enough to see this. They would have loved
> to see these developments)
>
> Anyway, here's a link to Kate's  story from the almighty Auntie BBC
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/4437244.stm
> (How about using Swiss Folk Music instead of Mozart ? Now THAT would be
> a treat for the kids...
>
> Pat
> Switzerland
>
> >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
> >
> >
> >
>
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