The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #98359   Message #1946768
Posted By: GUEST
24-Jan-07 - 01:02 PM
Thread Name: Universalisibility in Music
Subject: RE: Universalisibility in Music
My Concise OED fails to acknowledge the existence of such a term while Wikipedia blames Kant (spelled 'universalizability' but concedes that we English can use 's' instead of 'z'). Why not use 'universality' which at least means something not incomprehensively stupid and German? A tune such as Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika would seem to fall into such a category: everybody (almost) knows it and would support (I hope) its function and importance. But that's a bit like motherhood and apple pie.

Actually, I think Route 66 has a fairly universal significance, especially to those of 1940/50s vintage. Spin-offs were National 7 from Wizz Jones, Strolling Down The Highway from Bert Jansch and even The M1 Waltzfrom Nigel Chippindale.

Otherwise, why do you expect everybody to like the same sort of stuff? Doesn't this smack a bit of lowest common denominator and dumbing down? You can behave like a tourist (or even interested observer) around other people's cultures. It's not compulsory, or in many cases even advisable, to incorporate it into your own. Fusion is one thing; the assumption that all musics are the same or up for grabs is cultural imperialism.