Another day, another dollar. Another class of beautiful, soul-shaking music written by horribly racist, terrible people, another completely apathetic, silent reaction from the class. What is WRONG with these kids? It's not like I'm playing them Gregorian Chant or early baroque music...this is music of the romantic period, some of the most emotional music in the world! I ask for an opinion, like it or no? Three kids out of forty are willing to offer an opinion. I ask if the fact that Wagner was an anti-semetic prick should play into our opinion of his music. “Uh...I guess? I dunno.” I play them Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, a primitivist, violent, dissonant, pounding piece of music that caused a riot when it premiered. I ask them how it's different from Mozart. “Um...there's more rhythm.”
...
*deep, calming breath*
Are all kids so apathetic these days, or is it just this bunch? I know they aren't music majors, but that doesn't excuse the bullshit I get (or rather, don't get) from this bunch every week. At the very least, I would rather they talk out their asses and be completely wrong than put up with the resounding silence every week. I've tried everything I can to move these kids. I've tried presenting them with the most emotional music I can find, I've tried giving them the most bland stuff I can dig up, I've tried giving them admirable composers who lived extraordinary lives, and I've tried offending them with racism and sexism. Totally flatline.
I'm honestly at a loss. What can you do with completely emotionless students when talking about music?
