Modern "Music"

Take a good look at this artwork:

Not sure what you're looking at?  Neither did I.  Later I learned that it's named Descending a Staircase.  Apparently it's a fairly famous piece of modern art, but if you didn't know that, chances are it looked like a mess of yellow.

Modern Art. It'll kill you.

Turns out Modern Music is the same way.  Take a listen.

I'm in a music class right now and we're required to go to 6 classical performances for the semester.  I needed to go to a performance soon, so I went to listen to the New York Piano Trio perform last night. 

Bad decision.

I'd like to think that I have pretty good musical knowledge; at least enough for me to more fully appreciate classical music.  Well, let me tell you something...I DON'T UNDERSTAND MODERN MUSIC.  It's just too weird for me.  It was the longest hour and a half of my life.  Normally if I get bored in a performance I just take a nap, but that wasn't even possible because the music was nowhere close to soothing, just uncomfortable. 

Of course I do recognize the quality of the work and the immense skill required to play music that doesn't even sound like music.  Seriously, most of the time I couldn't find a beat, and the tempo changed ALL THE FREAKIN TIME.  I've played most types of classical music and a little of somewhat modern music, but this stuff was crazy. 

So this is my main beef with modern music.  The reason I listen to music is for enjoyment.  It can be sad or happy, but overall I want it to sound good.  Modern music goes against everything that we enjoy in music.  It also gives off this feeling of, "if you don't like it, it's because you're dumb and musically ignorant." Well, that's probably right, which is why it's lame.  Most people don't have vast musical knowledge so they aren't going to understand or enjoy it.  Back in the day, classical music was the "pop" music.  Chamber music has its name because it was played in the chambers of people's homes.  Going to an opera was like going to a movie.  Sort of...

Now we're in the Modern Era of music and most people don't like it.  At yesterday's concert about one third of the audience left during the intermission.  I guess they didn't enjoy the music very much.  For the record, I sat through the WHOLE thing.  I'm not that rude.

I feel much better now.  Thanks.