In his book, The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom makes the statement that classics ( e.g., music and literature) are good, all else, not so much. He condemns the entire film genre and we can assume television as well, as not good. I agree that classic works have a theme and complexity to them that is lacking in many modern artistic works, however I disagree with the assumption that what is not classic is not good. I recognize that these modern works are not going to go away until they are replaced by something that in Bloom's view would be even worse. As future teachers, it will be important for us to relate the classic works to our students in ways that are relevant and engaging. So as bad as Bloom says these modern works are, they can be used as a portal for teachers to bring the classics to their students. I think this gets to the heart of Bloom's statement in the Preface of the book that "No real teacher can doubt that his task is to assist his pupil to fulfill human nature against all the deforming forces of convention and prejudice".
As teachers we can bring our students to recognize the classics they know through pop culture. By revealing the classics in the movies, television shows and cartoons watched by students, teachers can draw students into study and discussion of classic works. Consider the final movement, the Ode to Joy, in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D Minor. This music can be appreciated on its own by some, or through the revelation that it is used in the movies A Clockwork Orange and Die Hard. Perhaps film clips can be shared in class to see if students could identify the music. Who among us can hear Rossini's The Barber of Seville Overture without picturing Bugs Bunny massaging the scalp of Elmer Fudd in that famous cartoon? This draws us into the fond rememberance of time spent at the movies with friends or perhaps of time spent in front of the television in our youth while our mothers were busy in the kitchen frying up bacon and eggs for the family breakfast. By drawing our senses and emotions into the discussion of the classics, students can develop a more passionate relationship and appreciation for the classic arts.
There are several websites devoted to helping folks make these connections - here are just a few entertaining sites:
For classical music in movies, see: http://classicalmusic.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=classicalmusic&cdn=entertainment&tm=29&gps=60_469_935_635&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.classicalarchives.com/movies/
For classical music in television, see: http://classicalmusic.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=classicalmusic&cdn=entertainment&tm=256&gps=84_523_935_635&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.geocities.com/musiclassical/themes.html
To learn all about the most popular classical music used in pop culture, see: http://www.kickassclassical.com/
As effective teachers we need to be open to use all the tools at our disposal in the education of our students, and pop culture can certainly be one of those tools. Teachers can use modern music and films to elicit emotion and experiences that our students can relate to, allowing us to create a bridge to the classics. So while Bloom may say modern works are not good, I maintain that they serve a good purpose and are therefore worthwhile.
3 comments:
I can agree with this point to a certain extent. While the classics do deserve to be and in many cases must be studied, they don't always appeal to students. Teachers have a hard time getting students' attention when the classics are to be taught, whether it be classical music or even books that are classic literature. I think that using tools of today's time, such as pop culture can help students learn about and appreciate the classics as well. I like the idea of using innovative and creative ways to teach as opposed to some of the more traditional techniques.
I do not disagree with blooms point on classical music and that it contains elements that modern pop-culture music does not, but I also do not see this problem having an easy fix. Popular music or "What sells" has become nothing more than catchy tunes with very superficial content. The music industry has caught on to how powerful music is and the hold that it can have on people. I am not saying that there is not good modern music out there. There is plenty but it just doesn't reach our ears as easily as the music that sells. The youth does not know how to analyze such good music and decide what makes it good other than just a catchy feel.
It is my belief that as a child, exposure makes all the difference in the world when it comes to music and it seems that children are being exposed to an excessive amount of this washed up music and soon it becomes all that students know about music. This is only going to make music education for generations to come that much harder.
Now, of course, I have "Kill da Wabbit!!" in my head. :)
To play devil's advocate for a minute (because that's part of my job), is there any danger in approaching classic works via popular art? Such classics have a context that is neglected by seeing them in a popular culture context. To use my above example, to really get at what Wagner was about in The Ring of the Nibelung I now have to unlearn its association with Bugs Bunny. It's association with cartoons actually gets in the way of my understanding of the true meaning of the work.
Excellent post. It has a thesis, textual examples, brings in new ideas, is well written, and speaks to a practical teacher concern.
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