Champion that I. Unselfishly, of course.
Think about it - we (in America -- I won't pretend to be able to speak
for other cultures) live in one of the most rabidly anti-intellectual
cultures conceivable. "Smart-guy" is largely considered an insult. In
hip-hop 'schools', "stupid" was once "buttah."
That the description of any music as intelligent should be looked upon
strangely -- well, wear the strangeness. The music addressed here
indeed is, for the most part, very intelligent, complex stuff, begging
for abstraction.
In short - watch a 'backstreet boys' video and consider the audience for
that band, consider the ridiculous self-closeting of strict classical
afficionados, and then consider that the description of this music as
'intelligent' may not only be apt, but in a certain way, quite
necessary.
sr
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sd