Most Western styles are Asian now. Jazz is in its twilight here in America but the Japanese love it. The Chinese are just starting to discover it. America has been losing touch with classical and jazz because this country is so obsessed with youth. We'd rather discard something so enduring for something so fleeting. God forbid that we should educate our kids about jazz and classical. Let's just lower ourselves to their level and pretend like rap and tweeny singers are the most important music ever to be spawned in the mind of humanity. Well, you get what you pay for and we are cultural cheapskates.

Wow, that really says it so well! Hope you don't mind if I borrow that quote.

Of course it does. Unlike any new artists of these times, most of the composers were very talented in composing and they were writing eternal music, which stays forever.

I'd argue classical is the most relevant of all genres. It's timeless music that echoes our deepest emotions and most complex thoughts.

Most of us hear more classical music than we are aware of. Watch a movie or documentary, or play a videogame and chances are it uses classical music of some sort or another to add atmosphere and influence the emotional impact.

Every musical genre is relevant, always has been and always will be. Music can not be irrelevant.

I agree with Taxman.
Early music has influenced all the newer music genres in the end.
If we hadn't had had Ottaviano dei Petrucci, we wouldn't be able to write and read sheet music. If Arnold Schönberg hadn't developed the twelve-tone serialism, the Modern classical music wouldn't exist.
Classical music is basal and therefore highly important.

A world without classical is a world without art
 

I totally agree with this guy, I mean your talking about some of the greatest artists the world has ever seen, and if they weren't relevant still to this day, I feel as if kids would be totally lost and there would be no more prodigies anymore, all the good artists would disappear because of "music theory". I love classical and I love the art that it brings to the world as well!

My father used to force me to listen to classical music as a child. Besides the Messiah, and only at Christmas time, I rejected the entire genre. Then in my mid 20's I dabbled. Now in my mid 30's I'm completely immersed. I think the younger generations will come around in time, like so many things in life. Still, the farther you get from the flame, the less you feel it's warmth.

Yes!

Despite the Pop Culture Quick Fix and the Televised Hypes that are around, there are music scenes that uses Classical as a base, sometimes based in the Metal and Gothic, but mainly in Soundtrack music (which has it's fans, too).

It's rare for me to meet those who seriously like Classical, but when I do, it's great, but there should be more. I have a feeling that the pendulum will swing once again as usual as I'm sure a couple of generations from now will see the Idol-Drenched Pop Scene of today as a joke.

It will never leave, but for now a listener has to look further in order to hear those who still create music influenced by Classical or that which continues a tradition in modern style.

fur elise by beethoven that's the only music to my ears. with wine and chill by the fire.

Absolutely it has a place. Fashions in all things come and go, but style and brilliance never gets lost or replaced.

After all, who would have thought that here in the UK there is a new monumental interest in Real ale by young people? Real Ale was seen as something for old anoraks and pipe smokers a few years ago.

Classical music has huge appeal to young people in the same way.

Of Course classical music is still relevant. You'll find modern music such as rock has a connection to the medieval style music. Classical renaissance and enlightenment period music appeals to someone who has a bit of a different taste for example i dislike a lot of modern music. So i listen to classical.

I agree.

However, teens and young adults seem to just be interested in sh*tty overrated pop music though, at least here. I don't know what it's like in other parts of the world. There are only a select few (like myself) who appreciate this music for what it is. I'm probably one of the orchestra's youngest season ticket subscription holders, lol.

I think anything holds relevance as long as it has an audience, even if said audience is not as big as whoever today's big pop star is. Orchestras and wind symphonies still enjoy well populated concerts, if they didn't, then more of them would be going belly up...but that is not the case. DCI and WGI ticket sales and attendance are hitting record highs. Some college music programs are seeing substantial growth in student participation as well as majors. Clearly classical music and its relatives still enjoy a solid place in modern society.

I have yet to meet someone in Australia that likes Classical music, even considerably old people.

Well, the conversations that me and my main bloke Stryder struck up with some of our seated neighbours at my college's weekly Concert Hour performance suggest that these individuals that elude general relevance of a genre have the basement music syndrome. This is when the homo primate secludes itself in a basement and exposes itself to the groundbreaking works of the apes similarly interested in the genre for years on end via the internet for a boundless wealth of knowledge on the subject. Maybe since a lot of people don't go to these types of concerts, they don't see the passion behind the common classical music audience member's repeat attendance, be it pretension, adoration of the genre, or relatability to the style through participation (the former two I subscribe to. Some say I qualify for all three, but I beg to differ).

I totally agree with Burning Down. I guess its a question of maturity in many cases. Its interesting too that what we broadly call 'classical' music is full of variety, as is modern music.

Also, an interesting concept is that classical music is always performed by 'tribute' bands. Think about it. Not many of the original artistes are still performing live!

Comment for the RJinn from Australia, I'm hardly suprised by that. Australia is hardly the seat of all things cultural is it? Maybe you could help change that?

That's a pretty big task for one person to change the culture of Australia.

There's a variety of musical cultures here. You get certain crowds attending jazz and blues clubs, and festivals including blues, country, pop, rave, rock and metal. There are underground arenas and rock gigs. House music that dominates the nightlife here. Huge hip-hop scene and Ministry of Sound Australia is pretty big. I just haven't seen anything to do with classical, maybe the Opera House but I'm not sure. Only attended twice.

Hi, Rjinn! I really like your new avatar, though that appraisal of Australian musical tastes is kind of depressing.

@ Burning Down: I can imagine that, for someone under 30, a passion for classical music may feel like an isolating characteristic - that there aren´t many people who share your enthusiasm. Well, variety and individualism make this world a more interesting place and although I don´t generally care for classical music, at some level I´m glad it´s there.

"Is classical music relevant?" That´s a question I´d rather side-step. It´s like asking "Are the Egyptian pyramids relevant?" The pyramids exist; they´re an acheivement that humanity can be proud of. If more people visit shopping malls than pyramids, that may feel sad to the pyramid ticket vendor, but it doesn´t alter the status of the pyramid.

Does that make any sense?

Totally relevant. If you listen to the music tracks in the background of video and anime etc stuff, many sound 'classical and young people try to download the sheet music from sites so they can play their favourite 'game' music. Heard some recently which was very Debussy-esque.

Yes, I'd say classical music is still relevant. Many metal musicians have been inspired by it, some even adapt it to make their own sound (Yngwie Malmsteen, for instance). Also, film scores are often based in classical music, and classical works have been sampled countless times. Canon in D Major was sampled in MC Lars' "Flow Like Poe", and gave inspiration to the chord progression in Green Day's "Basket Case".

Yngwie Malmsteen isn't exactly the best indicator of current relevance.

Also, many people actually listen to real classical music. Just by itself.

Classical music is very much alive and well in today's world!

Love it!

Yngwie's well known and therefore my example of choice. Also, it's not rare to see me listen to some Beethoven or Grieg.

It will always be relevant, at least until modern music is capable of fulfilling classical music's role institutionally (i.e. in a curriculum). classical music helps perform the function of allowing music students to fundamentally understand structure, evolution, and growth in a practical setting.

Based on album sales, drops in radio stations who play classical music, etc. etc. I'd say it's on the brink of extinction. It will always be around at Universities and such, but more for a select crowd interested in not only the music but the fundamentals and thought processes by the composers. Relevant only to some.

All forms of music are relevant only to some.

When Classical music started out it was only relevant to some.

Which is what BD was saying in the OP.

Is it relevant to the point that is surpasses that some or just only relevant to those few.

The poll doesn't really reflect the OP.

Heh. Good point.

Coming from a 14-year-old guy, mentioning you like classical music is going to produce one of two results. A) "you like classical?!?!" and an immediate classification as "uncool", or B) a nod which indicates some form of respect, a "you're a better man than I am". A happens more often, which is why I don't mention I like classical until I've known that person awhile.
To answer the question, I do think it's relevant today. For the same reasons the Mona Lisa and Michelango's David are relevant.

You're talking with some right douchebags if mentioning classical music puts you in the uncool category. I figured your Beach Boys love would do that for you :p:.

I've learned not to discuss music with the right douchebags I know - that's why I'm here. My friends all respect my tastes, even if they don't get them. And as for the Beach Boys, no one in my generation has heard of them. Somewhat a good thing for me! They don't rate very high on today's cool-ometer.

It's best not to confuse how well something is appreciated with how relevant it is. We've been condition by the rigid and simplistic structure of contemporary music to the degree that we're not be able to effectively listen to classical music when it's presented to us, and for the most part that is why classical music creates a sense of boredom, or sometimes bewilderment when it hits our ears. Combine that with the general ADD nature of our culture and you have the reason why itis underappreciated as an art form.

Classical music, more so than any other style, conveys the full depth of the pathos of the human condition. It's been with us for over 1000 years. Compare that to jazz, which is roughly 125 years old, or rock which is about 60 years old, or hip hop which is a little over 30. Classical music is extraordinarily relevant, because it is emblematic of human catharsis and the true depth of human experience. Contemporary music might be more representative of the cultural zeitgeist, but I think classical music is more relevant in general.

I like classical music from time to time. Granted I could not listen to it all the time but from time to time it is good to relieve my stress.

This is essentially the equivalent of saying that if something is occurring in the world today that isn't covered on the evening news, then it has no impact on us.

No bloody way.
Even today classical music is of big relevance,
and it is a huge inspiration to get a free and light mind,
to be able to get through your day with a big smile.
That is what relevance is in my eyes.
Music that is able to inspire, that is able to make people smile,
that is able to make them angry, to make them think, or laugh..
THIS is relevance. You are talking about popularity,
and popularity is nothing, but a fading shadow.
At day you see it cleary - and then the sun sets,
and you can only see its echo, projected by electrical light.
Until even that is gone, and the shadow's "popularity" with it,
but not its relevance

I think people are forgetting that this is the question in the OP.

Is it relevant overall sure because of how it is used in other media outlets and it being the foundation of what is being produced today but the OP isn't asking about overall relevance.

It is asking about relevance as it pertains to today's music and the popularity of today's music.