How can critics seriously put the Beatles on the same plane with the great classical composers?

The same plane? Do they really??

My friend…. Being a “huge Beatle fan,” I must recuse myself. I’m very prejudice!

Lady Gaga…never got into her music! I’ve flirted with the others, but no conosur of their music.

In other words, I’m not much help with your question!

There can’t be a comparison because they’re completely different genres and time periods. You may as well judge literature against music and ask, ‘Is this book better than that song?’

And anyway art does not get better or worst as time passes, it just changes. At least that’s how I feel.

I absolutely agree.
There is a massive quality gap between a composer that can convey stories and emotions with music alone within hour long master pieces and a musician that needs to write words to do it and only manages a few minutes at most.
Giant vs Worm, so to speak.

While I understand the sentiment, let us not forget that the great classical composers were simply the rock stars of their time. The chamber music that many great classical composers wrote they themselves considered commercial trash that they cranked out simply because it was profitable.

A couple of hundred years from now who do you think that musicologists will be listening to as representative of this musical time period, some obscure composers who follow the classical rule book laid down by the likes of Bach, or will they consider the Beatles and the Stones more representative of this era?

I don’t know of people comparing them as being on the same plane.

They aren’t. Their melodies were much simpler. A lot of their music was derivative (from the blues).

Still, there is almost nothing as singable as a good Beatles’ tune.

The Beatles took music to new levels. inspired many an artist and created some of the greatest works man has ever heard. From Sgt Peppers to the white album the Beatles music has not only proven to be on par in it’s complexities with classical music. It has taken music to places no-one imagined before of during their life. If the beatles where not so great why would a philharmonic or symphony work with them?

I don’t put them into the same plane, but only because they’re so different in time period and style. I don’t think you can compare, really. It’s like with anything. When the technology has changed so drastically, they’re in different planes, regardless.
I think @YoBob has a great point, too. We look at past art a lot differently than they did when it was current.

But personally, I don’t put the Beatles, Eminem, and Lady Gaga in the same plane, either. Primarily because I don’t like Gaga—I feel she’s trying to be weird just to be weird most of the time.
But the Beatles and Eminem (and maybe Lady Gaga in her own way) have quality art, just different, even from each other.
Have you heard Eminem’s new song with Rihanna? Love the Way You Lie? That packs some emotional punch, just in a different way. A lot of rap songs, the good ones, anyway, are a mix of mediums, poetry and music.
I’m not as familiar with the Beatles to be able to pick out their songs by name as well, but their sound, while new, has a lot of variety song to song. I grew up hearing them. They didn’t just sing to make money. At least, that’s not the impression I’ve gotten.

Those critics grew up with the Beatles, and so are enamored with them.

Hey, i have an answer to all of your question.

It’s one song that encompasses The Beatles and Beethoven.

Its “Roll Over Beethoven” by The Beatles. that was simple enough.

There were hundreds of classical composers. Time has filtered it down to the handful we know well and their greater works.

When time filters down what people know of rock, The Beatles will be the Mozart or Beethoven of the handful of rock bands known. Not because they’re equal necessarily, but because they represent the genre and were extremely influential, well known, and important to it.

Music is something we listen to with more than our ears & we listen to what we enjoy, what we can relate to, music that reminds us of other times. The classical composers wrote their music for an era that was more constrained & structured – their music reflected what people expected to hear in the past. Even then, though, there were more “rolicking” tunes being sung by less advantaged people. However the classical composers had the advantage in that their music was written down & has survived. The more “rolicking” music pieces were rarely written down, so they have mostly been lost. Today’s rock music, including the Beatles, has appeal to a much wider audience due to advances in technology. We ‘soak-up’ the Beatles music, & the music of other rock artists, because it fits with our lives – but enjoying the Beatles music does not preclude us from listening to (& enjoying) the music of the classical composers. We are very fortunate in that we can choose to listen to whatever music that suits our mood. The classical compositions will, most likely, always be with us – but I suspect that the Beatles & the other rock artists who preceded them & the rock artists who will follow them in the future – will also always be with us. All you have to do is to listen to whatever fits with what you are feeling.

Different tastes, man. Not everybody gets emotionally reached in the same ways. Cultures also change. I don’t really think that’s the point though, in cases like these, a good critic will consider the revolutionizing aspects of certain musical groups, and not their opinion. Whether one likes it or not, The Beatles did do a lot for pop music.

@Aster Roll over Beethoven

@BoBo1946 Thanks for recusing yourself. But I’m really not saying that because the musical generes are so different and the Classical music is so incredibly rich and complex, the Beatles were not a fantastic, innovative collection of artists. I love their music too.

@absalom Thanks. That’s part of what I am getting at.

@ragingloli How true. Great answer. Thanks.

@YoBob Actually, Mozart was the first composer to break out of the mold of finding a wealthy patron to support their work. He was the first to take on a aura of celebrity great enough that he could be his own master. But I am not focusing here on the level fo celebrity of one versus another. I am interested in the quality of their work—its depth, power, subtlety.

@marinelife There have been a number of writers who contended that this or that modern artist was the (insert great classical composer her) of our time. While I disagree, I certainly do find the music of the Beatles singable and a great pleasure to listen to. For that matter, some of the blues, jazz singing and spirituals that were the foundations of rock are great music to listen to as well.

@thekoukoureport No question the band was full of creative genius. I strongly disagree, though, that they moved the art form far beyond where it had been taken in the age of the Classics, symphonies working with them notwithstanding. I think that all that deomonstrates is the reach of pop culture.

@DancingMind Very true. In fact, when Ravel’s Bolero was first performed, the audience sat in stunned science for some time ater the music ended. Nothing like it had even been heard before, with it simple theme slowly developing till it becomes a thunderous, driving orgy of sound..

@Nullo I think you have it nailed. GA!

@john65pennington I was thinking of that song when I asked., But that was actually a Chuck Berry song from

@funkdaddy I suspect you are right that the Beatles will pass the test of time and be one of the leading groups of their genre.

@Linda_Owl Indeed we are truly blessed with choices. Overwhelmed at times, but still blessed.

@Symbeline No question about the contribution to music made by the Beatles. If the OP seemed to be an attack on them, it certainly wasn’t meant that wey.

@ETpro Okay, thanks for clearing it up. It’s just that I see so many questions that bash music that I almost automatically get on the defensive; even for music I don’t like. Sorry about that. It always just seems to be an opinion thing and it annoys me lol. XD

@Symbeline I love music of all forms. Any truly creative, expressive piece floats my boat. I just would like to see more young people discover how great some of the “stuffy” composers of the 17th through 19th century were.

My dad liked all that stuff, and I got into a bit of it, but I myself was viced by Industrial, which I really wish older folks would discover :)

That said, Carmina Burana rocks my socks.

@Symbeline Really nice piece from Cruiser VNV Nation. Thanks for the link. I fell in love with Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream and other psychedelic and progressive rock groups back when they came upon the stage. I’ve enjoyed electronic music ever since, even though so many of the bands go over the top in signal processing a effects.

I love Carmina Burina too. It’s the only piece I know of from Orf.

Yeah Industrial can go over the top, but it’s a very unknown genre, and there’s lotsa gems to dig up. Maybe this?

As for classical and opera like music, I really like the more violent stuff. You know Basil Poledouris? I know it ain’t authentic, but it’s fuckin awesome lol. :)

And yeah, Pink Floyd; for the win.

Nice. I wasn’t familiar with Wumpscut. Thanks for the link.Same goes for Basil Poledouris. Reminds me of Wagner’s Ride of the Valkeries. I have to set its hostory aside to enjoy it, but I have a thing for that hard-charging glory music.

You got any cool and violent stuff to suggest? :) Stuff like Ride of the Valkyries maybe?
(Our English teacher used to make us listen to Wagner during tests, she said it relaxed the being and alla that.)

Check out Shostakovitch’s 7th Symphony. It’s a transition toward atonality of today with strong tonal influence to keep it rooted. It’s his interpretation of the relentless advance of Hitler’s forces into Russia.

Wow, I denno if it’s because of the pictures or what, but this is some pretty powerful stuff. I like it. Cheery yet depressing, neat.
So since you know about all this kind of music, do you have any idea where I can find the original version of this song or at least a longer version of what I just linked? I know some famous dude composed it, but I don’t know who and this is all I can find. :/

Sorry, can’t help on that. I do like it though.Given what I hear on this link, that seems to be the whole cut.

That’s the tavern music from the 1981 film, but I have NOOOO idea who composed that one, either. It’s still awesome though. :)

@ETpro to me, music is “in the ears of the beholder!” That would be for the “average Joe!” Those who study music probably not so.

@BoBo1946 History sorts it all out. Remember that Tiny Tim was all the rage with Tiptoe Through the Tulips once upon a time. It doesn’t look like he will end up on the same plane with Luciano Pavoritti, though.

@BoBo1946 beholding is, afaik, a function of the eyes.

loll yeah, that puts things in perspective @ETpro !

@Nullo figure of speech…. but, thanks.