In the news section because it’s a pretty general topic open for all and I’ve always been curious about why Classical Music occupies such a small niche - given how amazing it is.
Are you 100% chill with this? Pissed off? Or have your views changed over time?
I, for example, used to be very pissed off, but now I’m more …hmm accepting, or resigned, depending on my mood
I’m happy with the level of popularity it has
It concerns me and I worry about it’s future
It is, has always been, and will remain - for an elite of erudite listeners
I think we should branch out, any new ways of attracting people are good
We should promote it but NEVER stoop to LOLA or MAKSIM levels
In Europe, I’m not worried about the future of music. At least for right now. There are a lot of programmes designed to get young people to attend concerts. The best way to get people into classical is through some other media, usually film or tv series which feature classical music which the viewer then seeks out on youtube. At that point it is up to the individual to decide whether to explore classical music further or continue listening to Stupeflip.
Quickly, but same as Brew mostly. In the US I’m worried, but Europe looks good, and China is on the rise. I think the positive trend is much thanks to youtube, since it’s much easier to be exposed to art music now. 10 years ago you almost had to have someone in the family who were interested or get exposure through a music teacher to get in to it.
Indeed, in my case my brother forced me. I listened to rock and played guitar, which my bro hated, so he borrowed me 10 CDs of classical music and made me promise to listen to them (he had moved already at the time). Eventually I did, and got hooked on a Chopin disc with Tomsic and Pletnev’s LvB Sonata album on Virgin.
Concerned… but those who place themselves as the custodians of “tradition” are to a large extent self-perpetuating the elite aspect and putting people off.
Yes. We all understand that classical music isn’t always appreciated in the immediate, and we understand that listening to it is often enhanced by even a fairly basic theoretical understanding, but there is absolutely no point in jumping on a bandwagon of musical superiority and separating ourselves from the “plebs”, if we wish to encourage fresh listeners. “You’re too stupid / ill-educated to understand composer x” is often the unspoken and totally counterproductive attitude.
Secondly: we’re already handicapped in the classical field by the “it’s all dead dudes” attitude, so why must we further handicap ourselves by insisting on 200 year old concert “traditions” and stylised formalities which didn’t even fucking exist 200 years ago!
I think one good way to get novice listeners into the field is by pointing out that, yes they may think classical is snobbish and aloof, but they’ve been listening, in effect, to it for as long as they’ve been aware. A very significant % of film music is regurgitated Rachmaninov or Wagner!
Great points. I think elitism is mis-perceived by most people.
Elitism means to them - it’s music for upper class educated people up their own arses.
The actually elitism is more open ended - classical music’s wealth is only comprehensible to those who represent an ‘elite’ of listeners - but this elite is simply attained by repeated listens - improving aural-cognitive capacity by exposure and concentrated listens.
Listening to music is a skill - I am not equipped with the aural skill for example to fully appreciate a lot of Jazz - it goes in one ear out the other because my aural cortex hasn’t assimilated enough of the vocabulary.
Classical music is just more advanced. It doesn’t mean it’s universally better…because shit classical exists, and amazing popular music exists.
It’s just a more complex realm, for delving deep and concentrating, not casual multitasking pleasure.
Yeah, I wasn’t happy about using the word elite, simply because it’s come to have social connotations these days. Ironically going to see a decent football team will cost more than attending a recital…
I think everyone can appreciate classical (maybe romantic in particular), but it needs to be approached in the right way, and it needs to be recognised that people also tend to have a bias to their own “usual” listening.
This option is a bit piano-specific,
but I think it’s a good idea if a performer can sneak something “popular” but also well-written into recitals, particularly if the audience is a bit younger. I keep meaning to write a Lisztian paraphrase on Game of Thrones for this purpose
William Hirtz did a fantastic one on themes from the Wizard of Oz. There’s a two piano version and a solo version (which I think only Jon Kimura Parker plays).
Hough makes great points in this vid. To paraphrase - he basically says that classical music is challenging and it should actually be PRESENTED as such.
It’s like little thin books vs challenging tomes.
He says that people should instinctively know they’d like classical music by knowing if they’re both -
A -inclined to love Music generally and
B - inclined to understand and relish the idea that investment of time and challenges reap the greatest rewards.
Randomly, do you mean he lent you 10 CDs or that he borrowed 10 CDs for you to listen to (from someone else)? Because “borrowed me” doesn’t make sense in English.
