The Moderater has locked the pro-v-amateur thread. Probably a good thing.

However, this thread is more apposite for the direction in which that thread was clearly headed, i.e.: soul v soulless, and artists v 'mechs'; neither aspect being particularly germane to the original theme of that thread.

I'm of the opinion that today's music, both popular and 'classical', has not only fallen foul of the rump of modernism (which some insist on calling "postmodernism", wholly incorrectly), but has also become despoiled and besmirched by a minority (now about 6% of the population, according to DSM-5) who do not - because they cannot - honestly, let alone artistically, express what's in their heart and soul.

Today it's become a cultural liability to take everyone at face value and believe the image they seek to portray of themselves and their ostensibly musical endeavours. "Propaganda" (aka P.R.) techniques (or if, like me, you prefer to call a spade a spade: "purposeful falsehoods") have made far too many inroads on music makers and music making, throughout the 20th century and still now. And I fear it'll get much worse before it gets better (given that we don't all end up as radioactive debris).

I completely concur with Errikos' point that it's possible for some - perhaps very many of us - to know intuitively within a few moments of listening to a piece of music, whether or not the maker of the music has "it" - i.e. that gift which we all want from music makers, be they composers, songwriters, or what have you. However, most especially nowadays, it's not possible for everyone to sense or judge this adequately enough for their own good and for the good of their culture.

Modernism has robbed all too many otherwise normal people of the chance to have highly active, well honed and experienced intuitive faculties. And then there's that 6% also, whose deleterious influences have become disproportionally large nowadays. This modernistic 'blindness' is, I suspect, a big reason why so much soulless garbage masquerading as music has gotten its feet as far under the table as it has today.

A little Intellectual frisson here and there? Is that the best that truly modernistic music can offer? It seems so. But I for one want much, much more than that. I want to be moved, heart and soul, by the music I hear. And it seems that all too often I have to go back to pre-20th century music to get what I want. And I know I'm far from unique in that. It's a pretty sad reflection on today's offerings by all too many so-called composers.

Here's an illuminating story that tends to debunk the myth that orchestral compositions are old hat and have nothing to say any more. In this video we get right back to perhaps the greatest ever master of melody - Mozart - but in a somewhat surprising setting.

Mozart y Mambo - Sarah Willis [Berliner Phil. horn player] on KlickKlack [Deutsche, English subs.]

There's no need to dwell on the musically ghastly, aristically abysmal offerings from 'mechs' masquerading as composers or other kinds of music makers, in terms of whether their 'mech' character is a result of the cultural ills of modernism itself, or simply a mental disorder - the two can be very difficult (but certainly not impossible) to tell apart in this day and age.

Of course there's absolutely nothing wrong in anybody making music for themselves as an enjoyable pastime.

However, if we're serious about helping our cultures move forward in music and become artistically vibrant once again, then it behoves us to find effective ways of setting and striving for higher standards in musical offerings made public. And that in turn will be helped enormously by weeding out the cuckoos in the nest - i.e. the 6% who have a strong vested interest in keeping standards low and tolerance high for soulless, mech garbage - no matter what shamelessly nefarious methods they employ to achieve their ends and preserve their toxic interests.