Did anyone see the Cambridge University debate ...

[french frank]

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.

I imagine it did receive a variety of answers. Although there is (as teamsaint pointed out) an ironic aspect to the context in which it was taking place, there is also the point that cultural preferences tend more than ever to be based on age rather than social background.

I would also make the point that, however daft the motion may seem, it is an academic debate in which people use their reasoning, articulacy and rhetorical powers to sway the audience to vote on the basis of the arguments which they have heard

[MrGongGong]

was there an attempt to define what they mean by "Classical" music ?
or even the context in which it is heard ?
or was it an "academic" debate about received wisdom ?

i'll have a look later methinks

[amateur51]

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.

Or listen to broadcasts produced by them

[Nachtigall]

Ivan Hewett spoke wittily and dealt pointedly with the notion of "relevance". The American Greg Sandow gave an entertaining speech in favour of the motion, but as a professor of music (Juillard?) was surely guilty of trahison des clercs. Stephen Fry was passionate but gave the distinct impression that he'd dined and wined well just before the debate. I'll overlook the less than articulate attempt of Kissy Sell Out to oppose the motion. The most disgraceful contribution was the summing up for the proposition by someone called Lord Eatwell, whose speech was shallow, amateurish and philistine. A pity that the streaming from the Cambridge Union was also somewhat amateurish.

[Mr Pee]

Ivan Hewett has written a bit about it in the Telegraph:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/classicalmusic/8513018/Cambridge-Union-declares-classical-music-not-irrelevant-after-all.html

[french frank]

Ivan Hewett has written a bit about it in the Telegraph:-

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/m...after-all.html

Thanks, Mr Pee. I liked:

"I don't think we won all by ourselves; I think we were helped by a shared, inchoate sense that classical music, whatever one thinks of it, is a cultural achievement that can't be lightly thrown away. It was shown by the complete lack of rancour on the opposite bench (or indeed anywhere in the room) towards classical music itself. Even those who were irritated by its inherited privileges, or baffled by its strange, buttoned-up ways, or its willingness to repeat the same old masterpieces century after century, seemed to quite like it. Which to me showed a remarkable generosity of spirit. I think it was that, as much as our eloquence (which of course was magnificent) which made those fine examples of 'today's youth' deliver such a resounding 'no'. "

[Mr Pee]

And here's a very interesting article about the debate:-

http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=3697:opinion-classical-music-irrelevant?&Itemid=29

[french frank]

The debate is now online here (the sound is rather trying - too loud for the applause). I've only listened to the two opening speeches which both made excellent points. I thought the proposer was very good - I wonder what went wrong?

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

Ayes: 57
Noes: 365
Abstentions: 88

[L'enfer]

Thanks for posting this link, I was not aware of Mr Fry or the man in the vest before now. I am perhaps a "youth" and I don't think there is a problem with the way classical music packaged. I would have a problem with no! I'd be horrified if I ever saw someone put their hands in the air whilst having a few beers at a recital. If there is a problem with classical music it's that some people - that perhaps don't understand it as much as they claim to - think that everyone should like classical music. When in fact it's never been "popular" music it's always been something for a small group of society. I don't see the point in forcing it upon people who don't like it.

Was classical ever relevant to the youth of the time? I don't think it was, was it? As for those young and old who want to listen to classical music it's not hard to find anyone with a radio or internet connection can find classical music of various eras and varying degrees of quality to suit your taste.

Did anyone else feel that the way in which the two men were dressed was perhaps staged? Perhaps to reinforce certain stereotypes some people may have? My apologise these kind of stunts annoy me. :(