Classical Music’s White Male Supremacy is Overt, Pervasive, and a Problem (Barf Alert)

Scapi Magazine ^ | 2/18/2018 | DANIEL JOHANSON

[bkopto]

Over the week, there have been waves of backlash at The Metropolitan Opera’s newest season announcement. A recent Washington Post made the rounds, taking to task the institution’s insistence on an entirely white and male composer list, as well as a completely male roster of conductors taking the podium.

As a white man, there have been and continue to be countless times in which I have needed to recognize that privilege, white supremacy, homophobia, toxic masculinity, and gender normativity are layered issues. It’s easy to call a Nazi a racist because they are so obviously a racist. Not all racists are willing to take up that mantle.

Recognizing that Classical Music has implied White Supremacy for centuries is hard for those that study the art form. In fact, that correlating The Met’s continued programming of dead white men to the rise of White Supremacist tendencies in America is not a far stretch is starting to become apparent to those that follow and review the company’s season announcements.

Of course Italian Opera traditions are rich and are the backbone for many composers, but when an American institution, founded on the grounds of Natives and whose nation’s economy was fueled by the labor of slavery continues in 2018 to program exclusively white men, there’s a message being sent to those who don’t fall into that category.

“You need to prove yourself extraordinary, so work harder and watch your step.”

[ml/nj]

What does she do? Or what kind of music does she make?

Here's a sample

ML/NJ

[Midwesterner53]

I stand corrected. Being a Beta or Charlie Male would be a major promotion for “him.”

[PUGACHEV]

We are going to Porgy and Bess this weekend. I hope that the performance does not copy the Met’s. Gershwin was a one-of, who combined jazz and bent notes from blues into his compositions. This is the reason Ravel would not take him on as student, because he saw that Gershwin was different and he did not want him to copy classical composers and lose his special gift. The mistake the Met made was to sing Girshwin like you perform any other opera. It comes across flat and unnatural.

[Publius]

Gershwin: "Porgy and Bess," 2 songs

After "I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" and a recitative, Gershwin writes the first rap song.

[MarvinStinson]

Gershwin was not a classical composer.

He was a popular song writer.

He never learned even the basics of orchestration.

American composer Ferde Grofe orchestrated “Gershwin’s” Rhapsody in Blue.

[Polyxene]

Bach is my favorite composer. He always put this at the end of his compositions:

Soli Deo Gloria — To God Alone Be the Glory

[PUGACHEV]

There is certainly a lot to admire about Bach. Listening to him reminds me of pictures I’ve seen of those jewel box Roccoco pilgrimage churches in Bavaria.

[Alas Babylon!]

Let’s see, classical music, huh?

Invented in Europe, the native land of the Caucasian people, who where white. Check.

Who, at the time, were in a male dominated society, at least in so far as having a profession went. Check.

Inspired by the musical forms of their ancestors, religion, technical progress, metallurgy, and craftsmanship. Check.

So I guess you could say, the music INVENTED by white, European, Christian males is what....?

White, Male and Christian? Who would have thought!!!

[Vigilanteman]

Here's a few hints:

1. Most of them are deceased.
   
2. They sell record albums in venues which sell quality music, not your musty cover stores for drug sales.
   
3. They are popular in places such as Eastern Europe and the more civilized parts of Asia which still appreciate classical music.

   George Gershwin was arguably one of the world's first jazz masters or at least classical-jazz fusion. Ever heard of him? Or Miles Davis?

[ExGeeEye]

Bmfl

[Cecily]

Pat Benatar also trained in opera singing (don’t know how long), but she became a rock singer. I like Pat’s cover of “Wuthering Heights.”

[N. Theknow]

Coming soon...

Choppin'
Moes-Art
LeBeethoven
V'Erdi
$hit-Liszt

T'Chaikof-Skee

[VietVet876]

And that is one of the jazz classics written and performed by just about the absolute best that ever walked the planet and played a horn.

[Cecily]

Don’t forget:

Brahmz
mayBACH
Hey-Din
De’Bus-EE

[amihow]

Yes, of course we all know Gershwin, but his accomplishments are not in jazz, but in more classical works influence by many genres.

Miles Davis was a favorite of those hanging out in the dark bars and coffee houses in the fifties. I remember going into one of those tune in drop out temples of nihilism and hating it and their music then.

Davis may have been a good musician, but his jazz not.

Do not want to insult you, but I still hold that jazz and hip hop and rap do ugly things to the human brain and how it works.