You may enjoy this one. It's from a similar time period:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

How about this, KA: you're alive now, and you weren't then.

If you like the Beatles you like modern music.

Fuck off - stop repeating what your high-priced special.Ed teachers forced you to believe. You are.such a predictable arrogant little bitch. No wonder so many hate you.

Sorry semck, but I'm unfamiliar with German Opera. I read a book by Aaron Copland where I was almost convinced to pursue Opera, but I struggle from a language barrier. To experience something, I must be able to understand it. And I don't think I'll enjoy something as much if I have to read a Wikipedia article on it after viewing it. (The Carmina Burana is about as far as I'll go).

If only this were Conservative Man. I'd tell him, no, nothing will be better than Rome, the Empire-Wide Frat Party, where the male ideal of sexuality was dominance, no matter who was on the receiving end. Oh, Rome, you silly sex-crazed centurions, you.

Youre an antiquarian who doesnt like opera? Oy.

Dubmdell, you a Dionysian?

Hey, did ya know that the Roman baths marked lockers with images of sexually-impossible positions at the time? One such image was of a woman doing a guy doggie style. Another was of two woman doing it. Those silly Romans! They thought lesbians must have penis-sized clitorises! Lol! They had no idea! No fucking idea! (No pun intended.) Oh man, Roman sexuality is so funny. Made my studies of Latin all worthwhile. Hahaha and frat boys think they're making new shit up on Friday and Saturday nights! Hahahahaha the Romans beat them to it all! Lol!

Oh, Dionysus, Bacchus, whatever you want to call him, he can foster his wine-madness on me any day! ;)

As Tobias Funke said, "Cupid, you can zing your arrow into my buttocks any day!"

Except replace "Cupid" with "Dionysus" and "arrow" with "wine-madness" and "buttocks" with "mind."

We got it.

Hey, it's not every day I have a reasonable opportunity to post all the stuff I studied for the ol' thesis to graduate. Roman sexuality is fortunately the subject of choice. Oh man, everyone thinks Catullus is funny? He's got nothing on Martial. I tell ya, Martial is where it's at.

"If you like the Beatles you like modern music."

Yes, I understand that. As much as I listen to Swing, Rock, Jazz, whatever the hell Strauss is, I know I'll be limited by the 'modern' definition. But when I say modern, I mean today. I can't connect with the average person, because I consider everything to be dumbed down quite a bit. It no longer takes an educated mind to participate in popular writing, art, and music. I don't care if that makes Rock and Roll into a guilty pleasure of mine, but I don't care for ANYTHING of modern culture. It's as if all the idiots in the world have suddenly been given a greater say in things than I! Because the moment I mention that I consider myself to be more refined (which, by definition, I do) taste in most things, I am suddenly thrown out of rational thought just as krellin does to every post I make.

I guess what I'm asking for is a light in this dark expanse of the world. I connect better with my former English teacher than I do with the other students. And that's not just because we both listen to the same music, prefer Romanticism to Modernism, and would rather see a Shakespeare production than a highly rated film. It comes from a different output on life that holds true beyond the veil of politics, culture, or entertainment. It's part of an understanding of the difference between art and pleasure. It is my opinion that society has warped the two to mean the same.

Now don't try to refute me by saying that Zeppelin, Copland, and Alessandro Scarlatti himself were attempting to do the same, because I understand that this merger of pleasure and art has worked its way since the two were mutually understood. But what is it that makes me prefer how it manifested itself in certain ways opposed to others? In a hundred years, I am certain that there will be those who look back on today as a glorious birth of culture through the completion of this merger, but what makes this any different (to me at least) than Tchaikovsky's manipulation of music to command emotion from his audiences?

The reason I choose music to convey my point is because it is the most relatable form of expression I know. If need be, you can feel free to answer me in any way you see fit.

Speaking of Romanticism have you read Hyperion?

On topic: Something interesting, *points at dubmdell's ancient roman sexuality* that's what happens when you take a liberal arts degree.

As for powerful, evocative music. Have you listened to many of the modern composers? People can still do some pretty marvellous things with orchestra's.

If you like music that tells a story, I've always found some of Garth Brook's stuff to be pretty powerful. *don't look at me like that. I'm serious.*
The Cat Carol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YilhIO2igGo
Belleau Wood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuD-hwDa8YQ&feature=related

Any romantic who doesnt like German opera is foreign to me.

Im with you on consumer culture, btw.

Completely agree as well on the consumer culture front. (Surprise surprise.)

Um, damian, are you suggesting that I wasted my time, or that I used it more wisely than most persons ever dream of in academia? I'm not really sure what your "that's what happens when you take a liberal arts degree" comment is supposed to mean.

@KA - Do you lile Mozart? If so, try his operas. The musical beauty doesn't require you to understand the language to enjoy the opera.

As far as modern goes, listen to The Corner by Staind. It has a classic rock sound with thought provoking lyrics.

I'm suggesting that KA examine you as a case study of the quintessential liberal arts graduate/student and draw his own conclusions.

It's like an episode of Kurt's Kreatures but more fun.

Kinda weird to be bashing liberal arts, damian, while also bashing consumer culture. The study of the humanities, classics, history etc are our only buffer from dumbing down the culture.

Interesting... you've never seen my CV and yet you peg me as the quintessential liberal arts case study. Very interesting.

Incidentally, a google search for "kurt's kreatures" yielded no results. No idea what parallel you're trying to draw.

Don't get me wrong. I love the liberal arts. (I did spend an entire year studying the history of philosophy and not much else. But making fun of the liberal arts for lack of application while studying them is the thing to do around here especially among liberal arts students. (I'm actually in sciences, I just spent my first year doing something else.))

Any sorry if I offended. It was meant to be tongue in cheek.

You did spend multiple posts talking about ancient greek sexuality in a thread asking for modern music. It certainly pegs you as a liberal artsy-folk.

Ah, that was my bad, it was supposed to be Kratt's creatures. It was just a show, were they talked all about animals, the joke was it was like that, but with types of students.

@damian, you should be more careful about distinguishing between Greek and Roman sexuality. The Romans were into men, the Greeks were into little boys.

Oh, no offense taken, damian. I just didn't see where you were being humorous. Now that you've pointed it out, I can see how you might find that funny.

And ghug is absolutely right. Romans did men, Greeks did little boys. Actually, Romans did anything that moved and a few things that didn't. The Greeks were much more civilized.

You're right. He was talking Romans. The Dionysius reference by Putin threw me off while writing that.

Or maybe it was my dislike of the Romans, and preference towards Greece.

One or the other.

Good good. I'll try and make the joke more apparent next time to avoid this confusion. humour\ Perhaps I'll give it a funny hat \humour

KA, don't quite understand your problem. I happen to think that this is absolutely amazing http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01ngrlq/Opera_on_3_Wagners_Ring_Gotterdammerung_Acts_1_and_2/ (btw: nothing wrong in reading wikipeadia to understand what's going on) I for one cannot listen to contemporary radio.
But every 20-odd years something like this comes around http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vabnZ9-ex7o and that's not much different.

One's in German, Vilkas.

If you want really awesome modern music, look no further than Tool. Musically and lyrically unsurpassed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pltgaBtcPHg

Semck, most people don't listen to the lyrics of an opera. Even native speakers will not understand much of the singing. That's also not the point. Same as in an oratory, which are commonly in Latin.
Best look a an opera guide for the synopsis. Or find the lyrics online. Generally, on opera's wiki entry is all you need.
Anyway, my point was trying to assure KA that he's fairly settled in contemporary culture and needn't worry.

There is some good modern music. I've been a Meat Loaf fan for more than 30 years, but recently, in a bar in London, I heard this. I was so impressed I bought the CD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v_4O44sfjM&ob=av2e

Yeah I know Vilkas. I was just being a smart aleck since you'd said it "wasn't much different." But I agree, and good summary.

Bettles Suck. Real music is Pop, Hip Hop, and rap. its the only way to go

Well.......I guess I should be slightly more clear when I say 'Modern,' but I guess it still holds the same meaning whether you're talking about Stravinsky or if you're talking about anything written today. Now, I've gone as far as attempts to enjoy Charles Ives, but I can't get far there. Like I said, I have tried to enjoy Opera, but find myself malcontent with simply enjoying its musical aspects. Perhaps I'll find my path to it later in life.

Internet porn is waaaay better today than it was when I was a kid.

I still must encourage you to give Mozart's operas a try. I don't care for most opera, but Don Giovanni and Le Nozze Di Figaro and Die Zauberflote... Simply incredible.