Art or Entertainment?

Quote of the day:
"I believe in the unsubmissive, the unfaltering, the unassailable, the irresistible, the unbelievable—in other words, in an art of life."
--Margaret Anderson

Don’t-hold-your-breath quote of the day:
“Gundlach sees lots of trouble ahead for residential real estate. In fact, he sees no bottom in the slump until at least 2008 and no meaningful recovery until at least 2010.”
--"Barron’s" Jonathan Laing in the December 4 issue. He was referring to TCW Group chief investment officer Jeffrey Gundlach.

Common wisdom that needs translation:
“I don’t know anything about art, but I know what I like.”

Translation of above:
“I don’t know anything about art.”

Conductor and violinist Andre Rieu is one of the most popular performers PBS has ever aired. His current concert tour coincides with public TV fundraisers around the country, and has occasioned some debate about his music.

He combines lavish readings of Strauss waltzes with light classics with orchestral arrangements of popular hits. He and his players are demonstrative entertainers, and lots of people like the shows.

“Entertainment” is the key word. For many, many people, Rieu’s music is a pleasant diversion. They enjoy watching it and listening to it. Personally, while I have a low tolerance for waltzes or schmaltzes, I always enjoy watching people who are clearly enjoying what they are doing.

Some folks argue that Rieu cheapens or messes up the music. I don’t worry about that too much. The music doesn’t need me or anyone else to stand up for it. Music is a matter of personal taste, and no one forces me to either listen or not listen.

What is a trifle troubling is when someone insists that the music has artistic merit, or that these performances provide an “entry point” to appreciating classical music. The latter point is not borne out by any evidence. Quite the contrary--people who listen to this kind of music continue listening to this kind of music and venture nowhere else. Nothing wrong with that. Except when it is suggested that people are learning to listen or appreciate classical music.

Some performances have artistic merit. Some performances, like Rieu’s, are simply entertaining.