# Country



## Christi (Nov 21, 2008)

Is Country like classical ???


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Not at all alike ... they are two completely different music styles.


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## Christi (Nov 21, 2008)

Krummhorn said:


> Not at all alike ... they are two completely different music styles.


Do they both talk about life ???


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

From an online dictionary:
classical music = traditional genre of music conforming to an established form and appealing to critical interest and developed musical taste.

country music = Popular music based on the folk style of the southern rural United States or on the music of cowboys in the American West. Also called _ country and western_.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Classical music can be sublime and beautiful.

Country "music" celebrates illiteracy, under-achievement, and jingoism, and has grown to become a fake commercial corruption of the traditional Celtic folk music that gave rise to it when Scots-Irish immigrants settled in east Tennessee and other southern states.

This is only the opinion of someone who lives in Nashville, the fetid inner sanctum of country music. 

I am holding back my feelings on the subject a bit so as not to insult those who may actually like country for some reason. . .


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## Christi (Nov 21, 2008)

Weston said:


> Classical music can be sublime and beautiful.Country "music" celebrates illiteracy, under-achievement, and jingoism, and has grown to become a fake commercial corruption of the traditional Celtic folk music that gave rise to it when Scots-Irish immigrants settled in east Tennessee and other southern states.This is only the opinion of someone who lives in Nashville, the fetid inner sanctum of country music. I am holding back my feelings on the subject a bit so as not to insult those who may actually like country for some reason. . .


How can live there and not like " Country " music ??


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Not everyone (myself included) likes country music (which isn't capitalized, btw) ...


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Weston said:


> Classical music can be sublime and beautiful.
> 
> Country "music" celebrates illiteracy, under-achievement, and jingoism, and has grown to become a fake commercial corruption of the traditional Celtic folk music that gave rise to it when Scots-Irish immigrants settled in east Tennessee and other southern states.
> 
> ...


Well, much of what is called country music today isn't really country music. It's pop music (and often not very good pop music at that) sung by people who wear a cowboy hat. But there is some interesting stuff in the alternative country and bluegrass scene - Steve Earle, Alison Krauss, Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, The Mavericks, people like that. Dixie Chicks are good too IMO. None of these are exactly small minded ultra-conservatives.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

jhar26 said:


> Well, much of what is called country music today isn't really country music. It's pop music (and often not very good pop music at that) sung by people who wear a cowboy hat. But there is some interesting stuff in the alternative country and bluegrass scene - Steve Earle, Alison Krauss, Ryan Adams, Lucinda Williams, The Mavericks, people like that. Dixie Chicks are good too IMO. None of these are exactly small minded ultra-conservatives.


Great wisdom there. We mustn't forget Sturgeon's Law ("90% of everything is crud"), and set the _best_ of classical music against the undistinguished mass of country music. The playing field needs to be level.

I'd add the Be Good Tanyas to that list of commendable musicians. Their first album _Blue Horse_ sounds as if it was recorded in a wooden hut with a party going on next door (not so far from the truth, I think), but it has a natural homespun raw beauty that contrasts markedly with the slick vacuousness of what one normally thinks of as 'country'.


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## ecg_fa (Nov 10, 2008)

I love a lot of country music. Not just the alternative country today (if a fair amount of that
too), but 'classic country' esp. of '50's-mid '70's. George Jones/Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn/connie Smith/Buck Owens/Porter Wagoner.Hank Williams/Lefty Frizzell & many others. The music is simple-- though with nuances not so far removed from early medieval/Renaissance stuff, & of course ties to English and Scots-Irish folk music. I think the best country songs can be fun-- often heartfelt and with 'adult-real life experience' lyrics. I like a lot of 'Western' cowboy oriented songs too  . Not everyone involved is a raging right winger either. It's true there's a gospel/religious aspect as well. But that's not so far removed from blues and the Afro-American tradition. I think not everyone likes the 'twang' of country, or the combination sound of fiddle and pedal steel perhaps. And I agree with
Gaston that current 'mainstream radio' country is pretty much bland pop/soft rock in a cowboy hat with poor lyrics, especially compared to the past. But like anything IMO, it's
not fair to just dismiss a whole musical genre either.

Ed


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Well, I was exaggerating a bit for comic effect - but only a bit. By my reckoning if I can tolerate it, it must be Americana. Steve Earle and other artists mentioned fit that genre as well. That's really splitting hairs though.

Country was also the music my age group, like, rebelled against in the 60's-70's, man. I am also probably too close to it, not being able to get home easily during the CMA Festival.

And you bet -- I don't much care for the nasal quality of the vocal harmonies and the whiny pedal steel guitar sound. Steve Howe (of the progressive rock group Yes) knows how to make it sound like something from another planet though.

After saying all that, I have to acknowledge my huge respect for Chet Atkins who was one of the greatest yet most humble guitarists ever.


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## Elaryad (Jul 29, 2008)

Well I'm with you Weston and I don't need to be from Nashville to hate country music. It tells me nothing really.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

do not confuse country with country western
country i like, c/w...not so much.

dj


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2008)

C & W or country all sound the same to me and is the only music that bores me to tears it is so repetitive, remember the Rhine stone Cowboy, ye gods what an idiot. They all seem to get by with about half a dozen chords and strum,strum,strum 
I have heard a bit of Blue Grass and that is an improvement, but only just.
As for the OPs question *"Is Country like classical ???"* are you serious???


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

“Is Country like classical ???” 

of course, in ways...dependence upon violins/fiddles and waltzes.

dj


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Christi said:


> Do they both talk about life ???


I suppose. But every genre talks about life.


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## Jedi Knight (Dec 26, 2008)

I see a lot here to agree and disagree with.
But to dismiss any genre as a whole would be unfair.
Unless it's rap, then it's OK. lol.

But, back to the point. All genres are a matter of personal preference.
As for my opinion, Country (note: capitalized) music died around 1989. 
Every so often, a song or singer comes out and breathes a breathe of life back in to it.
I think the 40's and 50's were the golden age, followed by a lot of the music from the 70's.
But most of this new country is pure garbage. Too much R&B influence for my taste.

As to the original question, no it's not much like classical. 
It's more like southern rock and some classic rock.

I probably have every track that Hank Williams Sr. made. And I listen to them often.


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

Dear god, what a very funny title post! Is it a troll? How could someone with 95 posts say this? How could someone who knows the words say this?

Jesus....


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## confuoco (Feb 8, 2008)

Yagan Kiely said:


> Dear god, what a very funny title post! Is it a troll? How could someone with 95 posts say this? How could someone who knows the words say this?


I don't want to hurt Christie but I feel like her posts (not only in this thread) are just for provocation and her fun.


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## PostMinimalist (May 14, 2008)

Country
Is it any GOOD???


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> I don't want to hurt Christie but I feel like her posts (not only in this thread) are just for provocation and her fun.


i.e. troll.


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## Gorm Less (Dec 11, 2008)

Yagan Kiely said:


> i.e. troll.


Do you reckon?


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

Either a troll or *insert words that would be construed as ad hominems*


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

I have been _amazed_ by the threads comparing classical music to other genres of music. But, I do believe, this one takes the cake.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2008)

*Rondo*, I agree, it is ridiculous, I am unsubscribing


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

whether of not 'christi' is real was dicussed on another site. they began to doubt much sooner than some do here.
if one spends much time at any level in the education field, one experiences many seemingly outlandish questions. give it a little longer to see what happens.

dj


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## Gorm Less (Dec 11, 2008)

Is the site you refer to where the Mods deleted the threads because they presumably thought they were by a joker/troll? Why are these posts taken seriously here by so many people?


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Gorm Less said:


> Is the site you refer to where the Mods deleted the threads because they presumably thought they were by a joker/troll? Why are these posts taken seriously here by so many people?


Because we're nice and always willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt. At least she hasn't asked yet if Johnny Cash wrote any string quartets.


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

Gorm Less said:


> Is the site you refer to where the Mods deleted the threads because they presumably thought they were by a joker/troll? Why are these posts taken seriously here by so many people?


5 or 6 members in a dialog with 'christi' isn't so many...considering the membership directory here is 63 pages long 

dj


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## Gorm Less (Dec 11, 2008)

Yagan Kiely said:


> Lol, bullshite. (Not talking about you, or indeed any _member_)


This made me lol, because on another music website the software automatically translates words like "bullshite" into "scatological material". I have been trying out some other choice expressions to see if I can defeat the software with words it does not recognise. The software has a long way to go yet.

I am still reading up on many of the interesting threads here in order to make me less "gormless", but a little light relief now and then does not go amiss. One day I hope to be so well informed about many aspects of classical music that I may offer to write some articles for you in the "Articles" section.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Gee, how we tend to stray off topic ... 

For the record ... Christi has not broken any forum rules yet - could be a very young person who is getting their very first introduction to music of any form ... We all had to start out learning somewhere ourselves.

The administration of this forum does not remove threads/posts of user based solely upon any presumptions. It will, however, remove any posts that make accusations of another members character or posting style (See forum rules).


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> could be a very young person who is getting their very first introduction to music of any form


In which case they need to be banned. Is not this hosted in the US? Is not the law 13y or older?

Either way, he/she has had 95 posts and yet to learn what classical music actually sounds like.



> Gee, how we tend to stray off topic ...


There was a topic? The thread was answered in the first few posts: "no".


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

So, the suggestion is that we just automatically ban any young person who wants to learn about music? 
This is not what we are about ... Today's kids are going to be the one replacing us older musicians when we start playing the harp in whatever afterlife place we wind up in.

This forum originates from Denmark ... the physical servers are located in that country ... The site owner is a resident of Denmark. Danish law applies to this forum, not US laws or regulations. However, this forum is fully compliant with COPPA which protects child members' privacy.

There are many public forums where young people under the age of 13 are allowed to participate ... I am an editing supervisor in one such group that originates in the US.

Any yes, there is a topic ... "country" ... and there has been an ensuing discussion other than the couple of "no's". We now return to that topic


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## Yagan Kiely (Feb 6, 2008)

> This forum originates from Denmark ... the physical servers are located in that country ... The site owner is a resident of Denmark. Danish law applies to this forum, not US laws or regulations. However, this forum is fully compliant with COPPA which protects child members' privacy.


Fair enough then.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

jhar26 said:


> At least she hasn't asked yet if Johnny Cash wrote any string quartets.


We know he must have liked them, though. Many string quartets have been written for Cash.

Ba-Boom. Is it the way I tell 'em?


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## PostMinimalist (May 14, 2008)

Damn! you beat me to that one!
I was posting - 

Johnny Cash! Did he write some string quartets or what???


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## PostMinimalist (May 14, 2008)

I will answer the thread.
Unfortunately Classical music covers such vast array of styles that it cannot be compared in it's etirety with counrty which is of a much more restricted stylistic gammut. 
One could compare the question to the problem of the three blind men and the elephant. One said that the elephant was like a brush, having held only its tail, another said it was like a tree having felt only its leg and the other claimed that the elephant was like a snake having examined only its trunk.

Country music has much in common with conventional classical music from the period from 1650 through 2010. That seems like a lot of music but the actual similarities vary from close to almost indiscernable. The main similarities are of course that country music is triadic, tonal and bassed on rhythmic groupings of four beats in four bar chunks or three beats in four bar chunks. 
A choice of diatonic harmony with a almost exclusive reliance on tonic/dominant harmonic progressions with perfect cadences being the preffered ending make drawing harmonic parallels with periods in classical music when such stylistic traits were prevailant unavoidable. I am talking about the Rococco and Gallant styles of the early 18th century where a reaction against Baroque harmonic complexity lead to a polarization of tonic /dominant sequences. So Johnny Cash is a bit like CPE Bach in that his harmonic language is limited by the current style.

Off for a coffee! back soon with chromatic harmony, stringed instruments, structural similarities....
or do I need to? Is Christi going to read and understand this?
I felt duped after writing about Vivaldi and explaining Symphonies etc. in other threads she started....
Go figure


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