The Erosion of Classical Music in the 21st Century

[rachel776]

Frustratingly, there are too many “pop” performers encroaching on the domain of legitimate classical music, to the point where people don't understand or appreciate the difference between "showy" and a truly accomplished musician.

I am approached constantly with clips by these “BGT”-type contestants, asking for my opinion. My opinion is this: they are rubbish. When my own career moved into country music, and now pop, it was because of my legit classical training, not in spite of it, and I knew each one was at the top of its game in that genre.

Here as an example are 2 bona fides, the first, Alice Sara Ott, one of the most brilliant and highly-respected classical pianists in the world today, and the youngest professional musician ever accepted into the Shizuoka Piano Competition. The second, Tsujii Nobuyuki, is a Van Cliburn winner, the highest honor awarded in the world of classical piano. Nobuyuki actually played one of the Hungarian Rhapsodies in the finals of the Van Cliburn as a joke, inside baseball, and it won him the gold medal.

The piece itself is not an important entrant in the repertoire; in his day, Liszt himself intended it as “nothing more than bawdy dance hall music.”

The third video is Ott playing one of Liszt's serious piano works so you can see, and hear, the difference.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

There are plenty of reinterpreted classical style music that's new and I'm quite fond of it but they're quite obscured. It's artists like this that's keeping it alive who cater it to younger audiences.

3:00 is the best part

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZSOMXrdTGEE

This one is more of a hybrid

https://www.youtube.com/embed/XZga5c9aJlQhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/jaukXF3ytf4https://www.youtube.com/embed/nc6Tdqr4sno

A classic piece I still love

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gus4dnQuiGk

[Sal_Monella]

One element if classical music that has emerged is epic music in action movies. It's creators should focus on their own familiar sound like Beethoven did.

[rachel776]

... and Bugs Bunny cartoons

[Sal_Monella]

Warner Brothers theatrical music back then had a pattern and purpose.

[Jonettacali]

What are your thoughts on classical notes? Where did they originate from? Are you aware of Indian carnatic notes?

[BCRanger10]

I have been getting more into classical music lately. I've been particularly fond of Vivaldi and Bach. I like Bach in particular because I was a metal head earlier in life. In his music, I hear a lot more of that influence, most notably in his Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor.

I've also really liked guitarists like John Petrucci and Mark Tremonti. Definitely a lot of classical influence there too.

[rachel776]

i started out to post Vivaldi's Gloria which comes with a whole story, but then you had also mentioned Bach, so i'm posting this instead. It's a much finer orchestra of a much finer reputation than i could find on short notice and, as a bonus, at the Proms!

Bach's Gloria from the Mass in B Minor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu19NNXBVQg

[BCRanger10]

That is quite lovely, though I don't know when or how they'd perform it during the Mass around that time.

I rather like Vivaldi's Laetatus Sum (adapted from Psalm 121 or 122, depending on the translation). This is my favorite version. There's a podcast I listen to that used to open with this...

https://youtu.be/vmBln2jXRGU?is=jjbgOtdMlNmXyfvN

[Tarifa]

There is still a public that enjoys classical music, but it will never be mainstream. My daughter plays a string instrument since the age of 8, is now entering her professional career. There is an important following and every classical concert is packed full. Many young children and teenagers want to go down that route.

Compared to the amount of people that don't appreciate the effort involved in playing a string instrument like the violin or the piano, it's only a drop in the ocean. Most won't hear the difference between a trained professional, a studio musician or a computer mock-up using synthesizers. Their loss, our gain.

[Friendlybro79]

Yes to everything you're saying. I'm sure it's a lot more frustrating for you than most being classically trained. I think since most people don't have the talents you have and the education in your field, Pop music, is a marketing machine that is designed to make people money not good art.

Now take into consideration that and all the AI tools out there, and I'm concerned that real artists will be a thing of the past. Deep down I don't believe real human created art will ever go away but I'm concerned.

[fuddly]

I think I get it a Rachel

Ssara Ott is the real classical performance?

It sounds fantastic, played with real feeling

Nobuyuki in contrast plays the same piece but it sounds a bit wooden. But he acts like he's really into it.. That's the falseness you are getting at?

Am I on the right track? Or way off


By the way what do you think of Max Richter?

I love that sound track, My Brilliant Friend

Other than movies, series I don't really listen to classical music

Michael Nyman: cook, thief, wife, lover

Ennio Morricone: Cinema Paradiso

[molonski2]

You are obviously much better equipped to present an opinion on this rather than myself , but don't all these people in essence just grow the catogery to people who would otherwise just be excluded?
This great interest in Classical events
. Or am I missing the slow decline?

[SixFootSexy]

Sadly if you've noticed, we're living in Idiocracy.

Modern art is the purposeful deconstruction of culture and beauty and it has crept into every area of life, from architecture to music, to politics and money. It's all a crazy experiment that will ultimately have a very poor ending.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

Thank you for sharing those 3 wonderful pieces.

[Xawyx-2]

Well, as a fan of Classical music, I think you're 100% right.

Great myTake.

[Dullie]

Mm I love the sound of Dorian abd aeolian

[Honorman]

Prfect