# Do you have friends that enjoy classical?



## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Nobody in my age range (18-24) seems to enjoy classical much. Often when I tell people I enjoy classical music or posting on a classical website, they ignore me. Even my friends.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Things are the same way with me, thats one of the reasons I like to post here. However, aren't you in school? Did you not meet a lot of like-minded people there? I am hoping when I return to school I'll meet lots of other people that have similar musical tastes.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

tdc said:


> Things are the same way with me, thats one of the reasons I like to post here. However, aren't you in school? Did you not meet a lot of like-minded people there? I am hoping when I return to school I'll meet lots of other people that have similar musical tastes.


Yes, I am. That's the thing that depresses me, how not even the other music majors care about about classical music. There are many who do not seem to be taking their majors very seriously (especially the education majors).


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I share an art studio with two other artist who are passionate classical music fans. One had a larger collection than myself until quite recently. My third studio mate has little choice. He prefers jazz... which I quite like as well... but the stereo in the studio in mine. He dreads it when I'm in a Wagner mood... but if he complains too much I threaten him with my bluegrass collection:devil:


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

A few of my friends are into classical, including my dearest friend. But even she is only marginally into it, not enough for me to have a deep discussion about it. We do sometimes enjoy a concert together -- and if she is seen holding my hand, it is only to keep me from air conducting.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

A small number of my friends enjoy classical music, and can be good company at concerts, though none of them have the same level of active interest as me (I doubt any of them listen to it when I'm not around, for example!). The internet is my saviour!


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Ravellian said:


> Yes, I am. That's the thing that depresses me, how not even the other music majors care about about classical music. There are many who do not seem to be taking their majors very seriously (especially the education majors).


Wow, thats crazy. That would depress me too, I hope I don't find similar circumstances when I return to school! Nothing however is going to deter my love and passion for classical music, and I'm glad to have some people here that relate at the same time.


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

None. Listening to classical music have a certain stigma where I live. I remember playing a CD of Schubert's String Quintet, when one of my friends, chimed in, and said to me ''Dude, that's gay!''. They enjoy listening to pop and hard rock, and I abhor it. For them, classical music is for sissies, the elitist ''********'', and the like.. It's sad really.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

I listened to very little classical until I met my wife (violinist). Now I listen to nothing else. I have a few friends who occasionally go to classical concerts but none have what I would call a serious interest.

My daughter is in music school and obviously many class mates love classical, but outside the music school I don't think she knows anyone who has an interest. She tries to get them to sometimes come to concerts, but they just think the music is "sort of OK".


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

I feel for you! When I go to classical concerts or opera I either go alone, with my mum or with a friend who's in her forties. I've said this before in another thread; at Uni there's this "cultural lunch" arrangement, with a 30 min free concert/recital every Friday. It's not classical every week; sometimes it's singer-songwriter, sometimes it's dance, it's a varied program. The week before last there was a singer-songwriter duo, they were both students so a lot of their friends came to the concert. However last week it was a piano recital and I think I was one of 3 students there - the rest were between my mum and grandmother in age. I heard the arranger say "there are so few students here today, don't they know who he (the pianist) is?? scary!"


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## Pieck (Jan 12, 2011)

Luck ******** those of you who have friends that listen to classical. My friends got tired of me. But I listen to classical with my mother who knows not so few things about it.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

Nope, I have no-one to share it with but am happy with it being a lone hobby. My wife does like some occasionally but tires of it quickly.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

There are some people in my circle of acquantances who like classical music in a casual manner. None are really passionate enough about it to call them real fans though. On the other hand, very few (if any) hate it and I rarely have to deal with negative comments from others. Not that it would bother me that much. I mean, when people would in effect admit that they are prejudiced against good music it would only reflect bad on them and it's not my problem. 

In my schooldays (an eternitity ago by now) when I wasn't yet into classical music I used to say nice things about Abba just to annoy my schoolmates (I DID, and do like them though). They were of course into all the cool and hip bands of that time. Problem for them was that I was into those as well and I owned more albums from these artists than the members of the self-proclaimed 'elite' of my school. So it was always easy for me to argue that not only did I enjoy music that they were too stupid to understand how good it was - I even loved the music that they loved more than they did!


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## Barking Spiderz (Feb 1, 2011)

Not really, this is why I need to come on these forums. I'm 39 and my friends are between 33 and 50. You'd have thought they'd have started discovering a bit of CM but most have only a token copy of the Four Seasons and a best bits compilation and that's it. Then again most of them aren't big music fans period and dont play an instrument either. Very few of them venture beyond 'classic rock' and contemporary mainstream rock e.g. Kings of Leon, Killers etc and certainly wouldnt ever consider electronica, funk, jazz, folk, 'world' genres, bluegrass (all of which I'm well into) let alone CM.
My wife's happy enough to listen to CM I have on the radio or car CD player though she doesnt know much about CM and doesnt have many CM recordings apart from a couple of compilations of cello works e.g. Sol Gabetta.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I have one good friend my age who has similar music taste to me. Only, he lives hundreds of miles away from me, and we've never met in person. Then I have a friend at school who wants to be a music major and doesn't know much classical, but is willing to learn.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I have a friend who used to be move involved in classical but doesn't have the time anymore. That's my only contact with a non-Internet, flesh-and-blood CM listener.


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

None of my friends do, but it's ok. Listening to music isn't really a group activity.


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## Pieck (Jan 12, 2011)

Rasa said:


> None of my friends do, but it's ok. Listening to music isn't really a group activity.


but talking is


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## Barking Spiderz (Feb 1, 2011)

Rasa said:


> None of my friends do, but it's ok. Listening to music isn't really a group activity.


but surely it's nicer to go to a concert with someone than on your own?


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

Doesn't enhance the experience.


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## Josiah (Feb 26, 2011)

I go to a music conservatory and I can attest to the fact that not all music majors like classical music.... It is very sad!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Rasa said:


> Doesn't enhance the experience.


I kind of feel that way about the concert itself. But what bothers me about going alone is the awkwardness of standing alone at intermission with no one there to share thoughts about what I've just been hearing.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Manxfeeder said:


> I kind of feel that way about the concert itself. But what bothers me about going alone is the awkwardness of standing alone at intermission with no one there to share thoughts about what I've just been hearing.


True, but from experience it also isnt much fun going with someone who doesn't really have too many thoughts on what they were just hearing, and is more concerned with what beverage they are going to purchase during the intermission. In these cases I'd rather be alone with my thoughts. However I think it would be ideal to go with another lover of the music when possible.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I have a couple of friends who dabble but there were a couple of ex-work colleagues who really knew their stuff and who made a few recommendations when I began to collect. None of my family are into it at all so on the whole it's been a largely lone pursuit but overall I'd say that's done me a favour as it's made me stand or fall by the choices I make and enabled me to trust my own judgement.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I have several friends that are avid classical music listeners. And they're all my age. But I would say that I probably am the one who listens to the most.
It's nice to have people to attend concerts with and talk about music.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Manxfeeder said:


> I kind of feel that way about the concert itself. But what bothers me about going alone is the awkwardness of standing alone at intermission with no one there to share thoughts about what I've just been hearing.


Get a phone with an internet connection and, during intermissions, chat with people here on TC


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

Polednice said:


> Get a phone with an internet connection and, during intermissions, chat with people here on TC


Bumbling about with my phone in hand is a definite top-range activity for going to concerts stag.


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## Moraviac (Feb 18, 2011)

My prog rock friends start acquiring the taste of classical music. 
I started playing it to them.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Most of the people in my circle of acquaintances/friends/work colleagues like classical to some degree, but many of them are well over my age (I'm in my mid 30's). I do have one good friend with whom I listen to a lot of classical music, both recorded and live at concerts. I'm probably the broadest in terms of interest in many classical genres - I like everything except opera (which I still like ocassionally) - whereas I find many people are locked in to specific genres or eras. If I had to name a favourite, it would be chamber...


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Polednice said:


> Get a phone with an internet connection and, during intermissions, chat with people here on TC


There you go!

I've had experiences like Rasa had also, where I ended up being more concerned with how bored the person was that I brought than the concert itself.


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## graaf (Dec 12, 2009)

Only few of my friends wouldn't think I'm "strange" for listening to classical music, but even with them I can't talk about it. It's not a big deal, since I don't feel a need to talk about it anyway.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

Nope. But ironically their pop music is written by teams of classically trained composers.


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## Barking Spiderz (Feb 1, 2011)

The irony is that a lot of rock and pop music plagiarises CM big time so there are probably millions of people who dont realise that most of the catchy tunes they like to sing in the shower were written a hundred plus years ago. It's surprising how many well known pop songs rip off large chunks of CM.


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## chee_zee (Aug 16, 2010)

Yeah I don't think I've ever met someone in 'real life' that likes classical music. It's cold and lonely here.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

a select few, but no one has near the knowledge or love for it as I do. Alas being in high school


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Classical music was once the popular music. Take Johann Strauss Junior, he was the hottest thing to hit the dance hall of Vienna in his day.


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## EricIsAPolarBear (Aug 18, 2007)

I am just out of uni, about to enter post graduate study in Middle Eastern Studies. My friends are disparate, but now that I am in Budapest, there are so many more classical music appreciators to speak with, and more importantly, many concerts!


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

No!  But I think I may drag a few of them to the five and a half hour showing of Die Walküre anyways!


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Yes  , most of my music major friends. But I didn't until college. In high school, most of my friends thought I was strange for listening to the music I did. Having people to talk to about music I love is a nice change.


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## Chris (Jun 1, 2010)

There is a chamber concert society here so I know quite a few classical music enthusiasts.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

meaghan are you currently studying music in the pacific northwest?


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## DTut (Jan 2, 2011)

I have some friends that occasionally dip their toe in the classical water but never seem to keep going. I can't understand it. There's such a great big world of fascinating music that one could spend years exploring. I love to try out new composers or periods and it's hit and miss but always interesting. Many (most) people think of Classical Music as Beethoven and Mozart, and sometimes that Tschaikovsky guy who did the Nutcracker.


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

the_emptier said:


> meaghan are you currently studying music in the pacific northwest?


I am. At a liberal arts college with a smallish but very active music department.


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

hmmmmmmm, 

reed
cornish
lewis & clark
willamette
western washington
linfield

?

those are the only ones I can think of really, you can tell i live here


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## Agatha (Nov 3, 2009)

DTut said:


> There's such a great big world of fascinating music that one could spend years exploring. I love to try out new composers or periods and it's hit and miss but always interesting.


That is exactly my thoughts!

At first I was trying to get my friends interested, but with no luck. Now I am taking my husband to concerts with me. As it was said in the movie "Into the wild" "Happiness is only true when it is shared"...

Before we attend a concert, if it is a symphony or bigger, less known piece, we listen to it at home, read wikipedia about author, when it was written, why etc. Then he understands it better and is enjoying it with me.


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## Igneous01 (Jan 27, 2011)

nope, it is virtually non existent where I live, most people ive met only look at it as writing an essay, not as something to enjoy doing.

I remember the days when i was very young and listening to all kinds of music, from being a heavy rap fan (pre 2000) to becoming a heavy metal and rock fan (metallica / guns and roses) to becoming a trance fan (airbase, johan gielen, tiesto) to now being a heavy classical fan.

I guess not everyone changes their tastes so quickly, i wonder what ill move to next?


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## Pieck (Jan 12, 2011)

Igneous01 said:


> I guess not everyone changes their tastes so quickly, i wonder what ill move to next?


Once you got in, you cant get out


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'm a bit bummed at the utter loneliness of the human condition, and this topic is a great example. I had posted early on that my dearest friend likes classical, but that we couldn't have deep discussions about it, but it really hits home when I see how much she really enjoys mostly popular music. 

I had gotten her an iPod because she wanted to exercise to music in the mornings without disturbing the rest of the household. I loaded it with a bunch of moldy old pop tunes you can hear any day on a zillion radio stations around the world. Her obvious delight at hearing these was so real, so sincere, it is obvious she sort of tolerates classical - or likes it but doesn't really get much feeling from it. While I loved seeing her delight, it hit home how how abjectly different even the closest friends can be. Are we doomed to be forever unable to truly share what we love the most with others? 

I am reminded of the Rush song, "Entre Nous" (Rush is, granted, sort of pop when compared to classical, but at least they have some very complex and unexpected rhythmic qualities and their lyrics are always top notch. Popular as they are, you would never hear them on top 40 radio.):

"We are strangers to each other
Each one's life a novel no one else has read
Even joined in bonds of love, 
Linked to one another by such slender thread."


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Weston, you've reminded me of a poem by Ogden Nash, "Listen..."
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/listen/
This one is particularly gloomy, and rather startling when you come across it in the middle of a book of funny poetry (most of Nash's output), as I did.

But I think he must have been rather down when he wrote that, because we're really not as isolated as that poem makes us out to be. This website is a prime example of how people seek out others with whom to share things that are important to them. Even those of us who do have close friends who enjoy our music still have a place to talk about it. 

But I can understand how it can be frustrating not to be able to share that with the people one loves most. I've always thought it would be difficult to be married to someone whose political beliefs were different from mine, and I'm beginning to think it would be similarly difficult for me to be married to someone to whom music was not important.


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

the_emptier said:


> hmmmmmmm,
> 
> reed
> cornish
> ...


Hm, I think I won't say where I go to school, but I will say I'm originally from Portland. You? (You don't have to tell me.)


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## the_emptier (Jan 27, 2011)

Portland as well


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