Dead Western Christian white males galore!

June 11, 2007 12:50 AM

Explore a thousand years of classical music in 30 fifteen-minute programmes on BBC Radio 4.
posted by Aloysius Bear (20 comments total)

Did they really have classical music a thousand years ago? Nit-picking aside, this is great stuff - thanks.
posted by Phanx at 2:41 AM on June 11, 2007

Thankyou, I think I will.
posted by Jimbob at 4:06 AM on June 11, 2007

A thousand years in 7-1/2 hours? What, they couldn't find an editor to trim it down a little?
posted by spock at 5:04 AM on June 11, 2007

Did they really have classical music a thousand years ago?

No, Classical music comes from the 18th century.
posted by Pollomacho at 5:11 AM on June 11, 2007

Classical music ended in 1978, dude.
posted by spock at 5:14 AM on June 11, 2007

great stuff, thanks. Charming accent, too.
I just wished for a better sound quality...
posted by kolophon at 5:22 AM on June 11, 2007

Classical music ended in 1978, dude.

I think you'll find Yngwie lives. And that Korean kid. Apparantly.
posted by Grangousier at 5:24 AM on June 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, Western art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day.

This music is associated with, and often compared to, fine art and high culture, sometimes leading to accusations of haughtiness and exclusivity being levelled at its enthusiasts.

Medieval (476 – 1400)
Renaissance (1400 – 1600)
Baroque (1600 – 1760)
Classical (1730 – 1820)
Romantic (1815 – 1910)
20th century classical (1900 – 2000)
Contemporary classical (1975 – present)

posted by chuckdarwin at 5:25 AM on June 11, 2007

1000 years: 7.5 hours. Now that's lossy compression.
posted by Malor at 6:41 AM on June 11, 2007 [3 favorites]

Headline composed at the height of the "Political Correctness" mania of the 90's.
posted by mattholomew at 6:43 AM on June 11, 2007

No, Classical music comes from the 18th century.

If it makes you feel better, think of it as "record store classical."
posted by danb at 6:56 AM on June 11, 2007

[this is good]
posted by Busithoth at 7:04 AM on June 11, 2007

Dead Western Christian white males galore!

That's dumb. Classical music dates back to early Indian and Chinese civilizations, thousands of years ago. European Jewry also play a critical role in a lot of Western classical music from the 1800s on.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:01 AM on June 11, 2007

Erm, this is good, but the site is really poorly designed. I'm only seeing 5 episodes, all in 'week 2'. The Episode Guide only lists the contents for Week 2: 11 to 15 June 2007.

Anyone else had better luck?
posted by puddleglum at 9:16 AM on June 11, 2007

That's dumb. Classical music dates back to early Indian and Chinese civilizations, thousands of years ago. European Jewry also play a critical role in a lot of Western classical music from the 1800s on.

Also women.
posted by ludwig_van at 9:38 AM on June 11, 2007

Metafilter: (sic) Western (sic) white males galore!
posted by iamck at 10:40 AM on June 11, 2007

Meh, I wrote a facetious title to pre-empt criticism. Sue me.

(sic) Western (sic) white males galore!
Yeah, being sic is why they died.
posted by Aloysius Bear at 10:56 AM on June 11, 2007

A "foot" note:
the "notorious libertine" Lully died, gruesomely, for his art and his king:

On January 8, 1687, Lully was conducting a Te Deum in honor of Louis XIV's recent recovery from illness. He was beating time by banging a long staff (a precursor to the baton) against the floor, as was the common practice at the time, when he struck his toe, creating an abscess. The wound turned gangrenous, but Lully refused to have his toe amputated and the gangrene spread resulting in his death on the 22nd of March. &mdash Wikipedia
posted by Twang at 5:00 PM on June 11, 2007

Erm, this is good, but the site is really poorly designed. I'm only seeing 5 episodes, all in 'week 2'. The Episode Guide only lists the contents for Week 2: 11 to 15 June 2007.

Yeah, I'm just not seeing any of other episodes. Did I already miss the first week? Isn't there somewhere I can just scoop all 30 episodes and listen from beginning to end? Or are they there and I am just being stupid?
posted by Demogorgon at 5:04 PM on June 11, 2007

puddleglum, demogorgon - Usually the Beeb just keeps episodes online for a week. If they stayed longer you might figure out a way to download them, thereby taking money out of the pockets of some deserving corporation.
posted by lukemeister at 8:28 PM on June 11, 2007