from Classic Essays on Twentieth-Century Music - Aaron Copland

This quote was added by kmj2587
I object to background music no matter how good it is. Composers want people to listen to their music, they don't want them doing something else while their music is on. I'd like to get the guy who sold all those big businessmen the idea of putting music in the elevators, for he was really clever. What on earth good does it do anybody to hear those four or eight bars while going up a few flights?

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anhiro 6 years, 7 months ago
This guy has obviously never been to the gym and getting pumped up by some energetic beats.
therobotclustr2 6 years, 9 months ago
I like another quote on here that basically says that people take music too seriously. It's another part of culture, it's another means of expression, it's another thing that somebody has to say.... it's not a church service or a prayer to be religiously contemplated on by anyone who just wants to "enjoy the music"
typefacial 7 years, 5 months ago
Copland is wrong on every level. Even disregarding the idea of music deliberately made to be for peripherally listened to, the composer is the least important factor to your own usage. Even if they made an intensely emotional and layered epic ballad, that warrants no effort on the listener to unravel it; any product released for general consumption can be used however the persons choose to.
user809700 8 years, 1 month ago
there is music dedicated only for background use, and how do you make of that? composers of that kind of music intentionally make their music for the specific use and you should not dismiss it so easily.

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