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Isn't this overlooking the obvious?
From about 1700 onwards, classical music was the pop music of its day. To take one example, had it not been for the captive audience desperate for auditory wallpaper, Mozart would almost certainly have failed in his efforts to become a freelance composer. We'd still be gasping when someone played a third or broke from organum. Most of the music classical afficionados admire would never have been written if its composers had failed to embrace their zeitgeist. Arguing that the some aspects of the musical status quo are stagnant and uninspired is all very well, but in light of precedent one should accept that the present is simply one aspect of a constantly evolving musical tradition. As long as music is changing, I am happy, even if I admit to hearing little or nothing in much modern music.
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