How representative of the 'humanity' of Northern Italy was Monteverdi who, whilst not quite a member of the aristocracy, still was brought up in a social sphere quite distinct from that of the majority of the population of that area, and did not have to deal with many of the hardships and deprivations as do many others of his time and now?

These issues are meaningful from the perspectives of those who question whether the work of a canon of high class white European males really has the wider significance, in terms of presenting a document of the period in question or evincing some more universal human values, that it is customarily assigned.

Or for that matter having my guts turned inside out by Il Combattimento, or my ears by the end of Hor che'l ciel e la terra. Sorry, but if it's a choice between that and Little Star I know which I'd rather share with someone.

Students that I see here even after MA degree listen to such a rubbish. I could not believe it when they would give me  a lift.
How could one who plays for MA Enesco, Bach and I don't remember the third piece, be listening to this kind of music?
How can they combine that?

On the other hand I have students who like pop music, and want to compose.
They would go and investigate deep theoretical and harmonic matters without any knowledge what so ever.

They would come to me and I have to explain things I don't really know.

They bring Renaissance poliphony that I did not have when I was in college. In my time in Russia all music started by Bach (may be Telemann). I don't have any access to the library, just am reading for the first time. I have to say poliphony questions are easier to answer for me.

But when questions become more connected to contemporary music than it is a bigger problem for me. I have to analyse and explain Debussy's methods of composition or Messiaen. And this is with no preparation what so ever. I just have this questions coming up at me. And I have to explain it to people who can not pass grade 2 or 3 piano exams.

(By the way as I recently discovered they don't perform or teach much of Renaissance even now. Handel's operas are unknown there.)
I heard the name of Monteverdi while I lived there, but I don't know much.
I did know Gluck's operas. I think this was the beginning of opera.

  I can't exactly ask people 'What are you wearing?' - they'd think I was mad!

Tommo
[/quote]

Best avoided when you're on the phone to someone you've never met, Tommo

I've just returned from a week away. It was supposed to be a holiday. As far as work was concerned it was supposed to be a holiday.
I was on full uncle duty over the weekend for my mum's party. I got to the end of Monday, having waved off my brother and his wife and suddenly remembered that the party was also supposed to have been celebrating my 30th birthday and my graduation. Oops. The rest of the week has been spent preparing score and parts for my supervisor (for a fee of course) of a couple of his quartet pieces to be played in Durham in October. It's been a long hard slog persuading Sibelius to do things it does not want to do but both scores and parts look lovely now, and he's very pleased with them. Next time I charge more! And I've sold my car for a third of the price I paid for it four years ago . I will miss it. Eventually. My dad has been fussing around the Durham house while I've been staring at a computer screen, tidying, gardening, cleaning. Every evening he's been settling down to read for hours. I left him there tonight with my brother and his wife (the ones who I waved off on Monday) and he's driving back down tomorrow. It looks like the house will either be sold or up for rent very shortly, so I'll have to go down again and pack stuff up in boxes and arrange for it to be delivered up here. All of which presses me to get organised about where I'm going to live this year.

Kitty,
When I studied in college they were preparing us to be piano teacher for children. Our education was limited by party politic and what they thought was good for us. Also I did not choose to be musician, my mother did. That was part of the problem. I wanted to be a nurse. And in addition books and records were difficult to buy in the old days. The scores were not available even in the library. One had to be creative to get access to: a salesperson who will tell when scores or books arrive, find a friend who might have it, etc.
Photocopying was not allowed to be done freely. One has to place an order and br given permission for photocopying which was done by personal only.
I have big gaps in my education. I am lucky that I found this board and I am trying to learn more.
I did go through two years of conservatory before leaving the old country, but as external student while working in music school.

I am glad you asked that, bbm.
I was looking at your avatar and could not understand what it is. It looks to me like picture of a desert.
What is it?   

I only heard his name, but don't know much about him or his music.

Did he write music for wind instruments only or for other instruments as well.

Our orchestra rehearsals are going to start soon and since I am an orchestra instrument now (playing klavinova) I should see horn player. I am going to ask him if he knows Bantock's music.
Things  take much longer time to be considered or done here. Everything takes a long time.

I am changing the topic a little. There is some talk about playing Appalachian Springs by Aaron Copland for piano, strings, wind instruments (flute, bassoon, clarinet). I should look on the net if they have that score.
People are willing to donate their time and learn that piece. We have a new venue now where local musicians are welcomed to perform.