[starry]

Well this topic has been covered in quite a few threads here before.

Yes, people in the past in countries have been partly limited as to what is available to them due to a nationalistic view of culture.

This has changed over the years and this has greatly accelerated with the growth of the internet and the greater flow of information that allows. Suddenly things really difficult to hear can be heard much easier and cheaper, eg youtube. I have been far more aware of music outside of European or American cultures during the past 10 years than I could ever have expected prior to that.

Music itself is a largely universal art anyway, because of that it can cross boundaries without too much worry about linguistic differences. Even back before the Romantic Nationalists in the last 19th century there was plenty of cross border influence. The renassiance, baroque and classical styles all went beyond national bounaries. In the 20th century the modernist style was prevalent in many different countries.

 

[starry]

I agree generally with what Aramis says, its just a simple way to divide responsibility for the propagation of arts.

I know quite a few dutch composers through concerts and various premieres and feel Im only just beginning to recognise a 'Dutch style' (which is of course fairly young). I hope to start educating you all pretty soon!

But to know specifically whether it is a Dutch style or not you need to know music from other places that may well have influenced it too. Of course composers in the same place who know each other may well influence each other. But others may go on a more individual path, art can't be limited by boundaries.