Praised in emThe Economistem as heartfelt and finely reasoned...wise, perceptive and inspiring, emWho Needs Classical Musicem offers a fresh and balanced defense of the value of classical music in contemporary culture. Challenging the many cultural critics who contend that the division between high and low art is an artificial one, that Beethoven's Ninth and Blue Suede Shoes are equally valuable, Julian Johnson counters that music is more than just a matter of taste. Music can provide entertainment or simply serve as background noise. Classical music, he suggests, is shaped by its claim to function as art. It is distinguished by a self-conscious attention to its own materials and their formal patterning. Far from being irrelevant today, Johnson argues, classical music continues to offer rich and engaging insights into our experience of modern life. The paperback edition includes a new preface from the author, bringing his argument up to date. emWho Needs Classical Musicem will stimulat