Did anyone see the Cambridge University debate ...

[french frank]

... yesterday with the proposition:

This House believes that classical music is irrelevant to today's youth ?

Stephen Fry (who he?), Ivan Hewett and Hugo Hickson were against the motion, while DJ 'Kissy Sell Out', Greg Sandow and Joe Bates were for it.

Unconfirmed information is that the motion was lost:

Ayes: 57
Noes: 365
Abstentions: 88

[Dave2002]

Didn't see it, but this has some information - http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Educ...e-13052011.htm

[Mary Chambers]

I saw some of it, but missed the first part. Fry was convincing, I thought. I was very relieved by the outcome! There seemed to be some agreement that the presentation of classical music was 'stuffy', though. I'm not really sure what that means.

[MrGongGong]

It seems a bit of a daft motion to me
and all depends on whether you think that art should somehow be "relevant"
one could equally argue that Black Metal is irrelevant and thats what makes it exciting to listen to !

and a bit of a predictable non argument

haven't these people heard of CONTEXT ?????????

[french frank]

all depends on whether you think that art should somehow be "relevant"
one could equally argue that Black Metal is irrelevant and thats what makes it exciting to listen to !

Also depends on what people mean by '(ir)relevant'. I don't think it means anything more (when used in this context) than 'I like it, my pals like it, lots of other people we know like it, we listen to it together a lot, we talk about it, people of our age like it, write it and perform it, older people don't like it. It's, like, 'now' music. And that's what's important about music.'

[MrGongGong]

Also depends on what people mean by '(ir)relevant'. I don't think it means anything more (when used in this context) than 'I like it, my pals like it, lots of other people we know like it, we listen to it together a lot, we talk about it, people of our age like it, write it and perform it, older people don't like it. It's, like, 'now' music. And that's what's important about music.'

that's one of the things music does
but there are many more as most of us well know !

[austin]

It will eventually be possible to see the debate here should you so wish. The issue of relevance was discussed by Ivan Hewett.

http://tinyurl.com/65jvfpy

[french frank]

Thank you, austin.

I hadn't realised the recording would be available - will look out for it.

[Norfolk Born]

I hope Mr Fry didn't refer during the debate, as he did when interviewed on BBC 1 East shortly before the debate, to Köchel's (sic) catalogue of Beethoven's works.

[Bryn]

I hope Mr Fry didn't refer during the debate, as he did when interviewed on BBC 1 East shortly before the debate, to Köchel's (sic) catalogue of Beethoven's works.

And the evidence of that 'slip' is here.

[french frank]

And the evidence of that 'slip' is here.

Oo-ahhhh!!!

[Norfolk Born]

Jeremy Paxman's got nothing on that Stewart White when it comes to making the mighty nervous!

[amateur51]

Well I don't know if I'm a musical snob or not but when it comes to DJ Kissy in his singlet and Stephen Fry almost in his dinner jacket (that button did look to be under tremendous strain) I know which one got my visceral vote!

Sorry Stephen

[JimD]

It seems a bit of a daft motion to me

Quite. If 'This House' is interested in what is, after all, an empirical question of some kind, it should try asking 'today's yoof', and would of course receive a mixture of answers.

[teamsaint]

somewhat ironic that the debate was held in the Cambridge Union..which is irrelevant to 99% of young people...other than the fact that they will be governed for the rest of their lives by people who went to Oxbridge.