[HANASHIR:16580] Quality vs. Popularity...

[Jeff Klepper <jeffklepper...>]

Speaking of Quality vs. Popularity...

When Stranvinsky's 'The Rite of Spring was premiered in Paris in 1913 there
was a protest riot in the theater.  (Many of the operas, books and plays we
consider today to be classics suffered through terrible reviews when they
first came out.)

100 years ago jazz was associated with brothels, where it thrived and
evolved, eventually being accepted as mainstream music...to the point that,
at the time of WWII, jazz (in the form of swing) was THE popular music of
the USA.

Blues was often referred to as 'the devil's music' and would never be played
anywhere near a church.  But blues evolved into spirituals, which evolved
into gospel, which evolved into rhythm and blues, which evolved into rock,
and on and on....

Bluegrass was thought of (when I was a kid) as corny hillbilly music.
Today, Bill Monroe is recognized as a genius.

Rock and roll in the 1950s was said to contribute to juvenile delinquency.
Some even called it a Communist conspiracy.  In the South, rock and roll
records were burned.

The Beatles, in 1964, were looked down upon by anyone older than 15 as
bubblegum music for kids.

Bob Dylan was dismissed as a second rate blues imitator when his first album
came out in 1962.  In recent years he has been nominated for a Nobel prize.

In the 1960s you would have NEVER (with maybe an exception or two) seen a
guitar, or a kippah, or a tallit, on a Reform bima.  Today....

What I'm suggesting here, friends, is that we step back, take a deep breath,
and look at the big picture.  Part of being an artist, is to grow, to change
and to challenge ourselves.  Let each of us rededicate ourselves to the
things which are truly important and valuable in our lives.

jeff klepper

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+
Hosted by Shamash: The Jewish Network, http://shamash.org  
a service of Hebrew College, which offers online courses and an
online MA in Jewish Studies, http://hebrewcollege.edu/online/

To unsubscribe email listproc (at) shamash(dot)org and have your message read:
unsubscribe hanashir
------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------=