Why the world lost the pleasure of classic music?

[tarheel91]

Khuutra said:

tarheel91 said:
Classical music has always been and continues to be something dominated almost entirely by the cultural elite and academia with the middle class making occasional attempts to get involved. Nothing has changed in that regard.

You don't honestly think the concert hall was for the Early Modern Era like the movie theater was for the early 1900s, do you?

This is a very valid point.

I should point out before someone corrects me, though, that this is only true in Western culture.  It's much more complicated in Eastern cultures.  For example, in China before the West got involved, profressional musician was one of the lowest social ranks.  Music was supposed to be an amateur pursuit and used as a form of self cultivation and meditation.  In some sense, it was even more elitist than Western classical music in that someone had to both have ample leisure time and be able to find a teacher who could show one how to play (since it was passed on only in part through written form).  At the same time, some of the most beautiful pieces are from folk music.

My contribution to this thread:

There's a really crazy story behind the second song.  Look up Abing if you get the chance.