Is classical music trying to be fashionable?

By Andrew Clark
Published: May 29 2009 16:22 | Last updated: June 2009 0!:"#
$here is a l%t %& n%ise in 'lassi'al (usi' t%day) *t+s n%t the n%ise we ass%'iate with the
l%uder &%r(s %& p%p and r%'k) ,%r is it the n%ise %& per'ussi-e %r ele'tr%ni' e&&e'ts that
ha-e be'%(e a si.ni&i'ant part %& the 'lassi'al '%(p%ser+s ar(%ury %-er the past /0
years)
*t+s a di&&erent kind %& n%ise 0 'all it 1n%ises %&&2 0 that3 in the eyes and ears %& hard4'%re
'lassi'al a&i'i%nad%s3 is threatenin. t% dr%wn the (usi') *t+s the s%und %& 'lassi'al (usi'
tryin. t% be &ashi%nable3 rele-ant t% the internet .enerati%n)
EDITORS CHOICE
More from Arts !o"#$
$he latest e5a(ple is the 6%u$ube 7r'hestra3 whi'h was auditi%ned and sele'ted %n the
web) *t (ade its debut last (%nth at Carne.ie 8all in ,ew 6%rk3 %ne %& the w%rld+s (%st
presti.i%us -enues3 a&ter a (ere tw% days+ rehearsal) ,% %ne in 'lassi'al (usi' dared say
this was a s'rat'h %r'hestra breakin. a 'ardinal rule %& the art &%r(: the 'enturies4%ld
pra'ti'e %& patiently 'reatin. a style and blendin. disparate -%i'es3 essential &%r the hi.h4
9uality renditi%n %& .reat (usi') ,%3 the 6%u$ube 7r'hestra was .r%und4breakin. and
reassurin.ly de(%'rati') *t was de&initely n%t elitist3 a w%rd that has be'%(e &ashi%nably
pe:%rati-e but whi'h aptly des'ribes the 'reati-e pr%'esses underpinnin. all .reat w%rks
%& art)
;hether %r n%t the 6%u$ube 7r'hestra turns %ut t% be a .i((i'k3 it (ade a l%t %& n%ise in
the (edia) *n that respe't it is part %& a trend: the 'lassi'al (usi' industry has w%ken up
t% the &a't that it (ust sh%ut t% be heard a(id the '%(petin. n%ises %& '%nte(p%rary
'ulture) $hat (eans d%wnplayin. the de(ands and subtleties and '%(ple5ities %& the art
&%r( and3 instead3 e(phasisin. the thin.s that (ake it l%%k se5y: y%uth3 'r%ss4%-er3
'%nsu(er 'h%i'e3 talent '%ntests3 d%wnl%ads3 the -ery sa(e sales te'hni9ues used by
p%pular 'ulture)
8as 'lassi'al (usi' suddenly be'%(e a &%ll%wer3 %r e-en a -i'ti(3 %& &ashi%n< $he -ery
w%rd 1'lassi'al2 i(plies s%(ethin. %ld and i((utable3 &ar re(%-ed &r%( passin. &ads
and &an'ies as i& it has always been there) Just l%%k at the te(ples %& per&%r(an'e4'ulture
0 L%nd%n+s =%yal 7pera 8%use3 B%st%n+s >y(ph%ny 8all3 the ?ienna Musik-erein3 e-en
the relati-ely (%dern Metr%p%litan 7pera in ,ew 6%rk 0 and y%u 'an+t (istake the
(essa.e: these are (useu(s %& (usi'3 pillars %& '%ntinuity3 .uardians %& a repert%ire that
see(s &i5ed and ab%-e &ashi%n)
$hat+s true3 up t% a p%int) $he ulti(ate :ud.e %& this %r that sy(ph%ny+s 9uality is n%t a
weekly p%p 'hart %r a Classi' @M playlist3 but p%sterity) Areat (usi' rises ab%-e &ads and
&ashi%ns) *t (ay ha-e been written in a style that was &ashi%nable at the ti(e %&
'%(p%siti%n Be-en M%Cart and ;a.ner built %n the stylisti' pre'epts %& their a.eD but it is
(usi' that pe%ple ha-e wanted t% play and listen t% e-er sin'e)
$hat is a p%pular assu(pti%n) *t is n%t the wh%le truth) L%%kin. ar%und the w%rld+s %pera
h%uses and '%n'ert halls t%day3 y%u '%uld easily assu(e 8andel and Mahler ha-e always
been p%pular) 6%u (i.ht als% assu(e3 &r%( the s'ant re'%.niti%n a''%rded 8aydn in this
anni-ersary year B200 years sin'e his deathD3 that he has always la..ed behind the elite)
6%u w%uld be wr%n.)
$here is n% su'h thin. as a repert%ire &i5ed in st%ne) Classi'al (usi' (ay n%t be sub:e't
t% the 1here t%day3 .%ne t%(%rr%w2 &ashi%ns in 'l%thin. %r p%pE its ti(elines are de'ades4
l%n.3 rather than weekly %r yearly but it is :ust as pr%ne t% 'ultural shi&ts and trends) $aste
in 'lassi'al (usi' is a hi.hly '%(ple5 rea'ti%n in-%l-in. what audien'es hear and
resp%nd t%3 what %r'hestras3 '%ndu't%rs and s%l%ists en:%y playin.3 and what happens t%
be a-ailable) A 'entury a.% pe%ple %nly heard the li-e (usi' %& the day) $hey listened in
the '%n'ert hall %r b%u.ht a pian% s'%re and played it at h%(e) $here was a sin.le
traditi%n3 whi'h was sub:e't t% a''reti%ns that were re:e'ted %r de-el%ped3 and whi'h then
(%-ed %n) *t was like a '%rrid%r with a &ew r%%(s %&& t% the side) $%day we li-e in a
h%use %& (any &l%%rs3 a''essible t% e-ery%ne) $hanks t% the internet re-%luti%n3 y%u 'an
'li'k %n any type %& (usi' &r%( the past ei.ht 'enturies within "0 se'%nds)
1;e+-e been sl%w t% re'%.nise what a radi'al departure this is32 says >ir ,i'h%las
Feny%n3 (ana.in. dire't%r %& L%nd%n+s Barbi'an Centre) 1;hat pe%ple are 'h%%sin.
&r%( is &ar (%re rand%( and wide4ran.in. than in the past) $he sheer a-ailability %& it all
(akes pe%ple inse'ure be'ause they n% l%n.er turn t% a sin.le s%ur'e t% di'tate their
taste)2 7ne p%siti-e result %& this trend is that (usi' with n% '%nne'ti%n t% the l%n.4
&a(iliar 'lassi'al traditi%n 'an en:%y a new su''ess3 as the 12th4'entury '%(p%ser
8ilde.ard %& Bin.en has d%ne) But there+s als% a &lash4in4the4pan e&&e't3 thr%u.h the
internet and tele-isi%n3 that 'an turn any kind %& (usi' int% a sudden hit) *t has in'luded
an a(ateur %pera sin.er winnin. the &irst Britains Got Talent '%(petiti%n3 a blind
s%pran% se'urin. a re'%rdin. '%ntra't %n the ba'k %& her su''ess in Operatunity and a
'%(edian '%ndu'tin. a pr%&essi%nal %r'hestra at the Pr%(s3 as >ue Perkins did last year
a&ter winnin. Maestro3 an%ther tele-isi%n talent '%ntest)
G5a'tly h%w this s%rt %& %-erni.ht e5p%sure will i(pa't %n 'lassi'al (usi' in the l%n.
ter( is any%ne+s .uess) @ashi%n is a re&le'ti%n %& what e5'ites a (a:%rity at any %ne ti(e)
*t thri-es %n herd instin't3 b%rn %& a &ear %& (akin. indi-idual :ud.(ents that '%uld be
e5p%sed as 1wr%n.2) By de&initi%n it is &i'kle) *t+s easy t% be taken in by the n%ise3 as the
'lassi'al w%rld was when re'%rd '%(panies3 %n the 'usp %& the CH re-%luti%n and $he
$hree $en%rs3 tried t% (arket %pera sin.ers and 'lassi'al instru(entalists like p%p stars)
@%r a while it su''eeded3 but we ha-e sin'e seen a return t% the pri(a'y %& the li-e e-ent)
Classi'al (usi'+s l%n.e-ity .i-es it an ad-anta.e %-er p%pular 'ulture: it has had ti(e t%
winn%w %ut &ashi%ns that didn+t last and turn th%se that did int% l%n.4ter( (%-e(ents)
But it is as %pen as any %ther 'ultural a'ti-ity t% 'han.in. taste) Musi'al hist%ry is littered
with it3 the '%n'ert &%r(at bein. %ne e5a(ple) Inlike t%day+s '%n'ert4.%ers3 wh% e5pe't
t% be in their seats &%r n% l%n.er than ab%ut tw% h%urs3 audien'es a 'entury a.% were
a''ust%(ed t% &%ur %r &i-e4h%ur (arath%ns) @%r (u'h %& the p%st4war era pr%.ra((in.
was d%(inated by the %-erture4'%n'ert%4sy(ph%ny &%r(at) $hat+s n%w %ld hat) 8al& a
'entury a.% n% sel&4respe'tin. '%ndu't%r w%uld ha-e drea(t %& speakin. t% the audien'e3
%r intr%du'in. the (usi' by way %& e5planati%n) >tyles %& per&%r(an'e ha-e als%
'han.ed)
Intil re'ently n% %ne raised an eyebr%w ab%ut 1arran.e(ents2 %& standard (asterpie'es)
A&ter all3 M%Cart (ade his %wn -ersi%n %& 8andel+s Messiah3 Mahler re4%r'hestrated
>'hu(ann3 >trauss altered M%Cart3 >'h%enber. d%'t%red Brah(s)
$%day3 thanks t% the i(pa't %& the early (usi' (%-e(ent3 whi'h stresses the pri(a'y %&
s%ur'e (aterial3 the '%(p%ser+s writ has be'%(e sa'red) $he &ashi%n n%w is t% &%ll%w the
%ri.inal (arkin.s in the s'%re3 e-en th%u.h '%(p%sers %& pre-i%us .enerati%ns re.ularly
ta(pered with their %wn and %thers+ (usi') *n the ne5t /0 years (usi'ians will pr%bably
(%-e %n t% a di&&erent way %& interpretin. the 'lassi's3 :ust as they will &ind an%ther way
%& presentin. the()
$aste 'han.es with the Zeitgeist) $he sa(e applies t% the 'h%i'e %& (usi' we play and
listen t%) $%day Cos fan tutte ranks as M%Cart+s (%st p%pular %pera3 but &%r (%st %& the
19th and early 20th 'enturies it was barely played) *ts 1(%dern2 tale %& pr%(is'uity
%&&ended haut4b%ur.e%is sensibilitiesE its (usi'3 n%w re'%.nised as subli(e3 was
dis(issed by the ?i't%rians as in&eri%r) 8andel+s %peras lan.uished &%r the best part %&
tw% 'enturies3 :ud.ed t% be arti&i'ial and repetiti-e) $%day they are all the ra.e) $heir
re-i-al has '%in'ided n%t :ust with the early (usi' b%%(3 sp%tli.htin. the pre41#00 era3
but als% with the pr%li&erati%n %& %-erl%%ked repert%ire %n CH and a trend t%wards
s(aller3 'leaner -%i'es) $here+s %ne %ther reas%n &%r 8andel+s return t% p%pularity in the
%pera h%use: his 'hara'ters e'h% %ur 21st4'entury e(%ti%nal dile((as)
Just as 8andel+s star has risen3 %thers ha-e waned) *& y%u study the na(es %n the &aJade
%& the Palais Aarnier in Paris3 y%u+ll &ind Auber3 Meyerbeer3 >p%ntini and 8alK-y3
'%(p%sers wh%se (usi' appealed t% (id419th4'entury taste but is n%w .atherin. dust)
P%sterity is ruthless in weedin. %ut (usi' that panders t% &ashi%n)
7ne %& the (%st a''urate bar%(eters %& (usi'al taste is the BBC Pr%(s) *n the pre4&irst
w%rld war peri%d3 the t%p 10 '%(p%sers by nu(ber %& per&%r(an'es in'luded A%un%d3
Mendelss%hn3 LisCt3 >aint4>aens and >ulli-an3 all %& wh%(3 100 years later3 are lu'ky t%
.et a sin.le hearin. in any Pr%( seas%n Be5'epti%nally3 Mendelss%hn .ets a b%%st in
20093 the 200th anni-ersary %& his birthD)
Intil the late 1960s Beeth%-en sy(ph%nies ne-er had &ewer than 0 per&%r(an'es in any
&i-e4year peri%d) *n the past &i-e years there ha-e been :ust 19) By the 19#0s >ibelius and
$'haik%-sky3 pre-i%usly p%pular3 had been (ar.inaliCed but Mahler and Bru'kner3 wh%se
(usi' barely &eatured in the &irst 60 years3 had be'%(e a staple3 re&le'tin. a trend t%wards
bi..er3 l%uder (usi') >in'e 200 (%re >h%stak%-i'h sy(ph%nies ha-e been played than
Mahler %r Beeth%-en) 6%uth %r'hestras and n%n4'lassi'al western (usi' are an
in'reasin.ly -isible part %& the (i53 an%ther re&le'ti%n %& 'ultural trends)
7& '%urse3 the Pr%(s are (%re than an annual p%pularity p%ll) $heir r%le is t% lead taste as
well as (irr%r it) 1*& we were %nly sub:e't t% audien'e taste3 we+d end up with a hall %&
&a(e %& 20 pie'es32 says =%.er ;ri.ht3 dire't%r %& the Pr%(s) 1A '%re .ets repeated but
we+re &unded in part in %rder t% all%w us t% keep the un&a(iliar and the new in the (i5)2
*& state subsidisati%n has kept %r'hestras and %pera h%uses i((une t% sharp swin.s %&
&ashi%n3 why has taste '%ntinued t% 'han.e s% radi'ally< $rends 'an+t e5ist with%ut
trendsetters3 'haris(ati' 'reat%rs and '%((uni'at%rs wh% 'apture the spirit %& the ti(es)
$hey d%(inate p%p and '%uture3 but they als% ha-e a hu.e i(pa't %n 'lassi'al (usi'als)
$hink %& Le%nard Bernstein wa-in. the &la. &%r Mahler in the 19/0s3 %r >i(%n =attle
(%re re'ently awakenin. interest in the early 20th 'entury P%lish '%(p%ser Far%l
>Cy(an%wski) ;hat started %ut as a &ashi%n led t% a 'han.e in taste)
Pers%nalities 'an :ust as easily in&luen'e by inti(idati%n) *n the p%stwar era the widely
respe'ted3 and &eared3 (usi'al the%rist $he%d%r Ad%rn% al(%st sin.le4handedly killed
>ibelius+s (usi' in Aer(any: there+s still a pre:udi'e a.ainst it there)
Ar%und the sa(e ti(e FarlheinC >t%'khausen and Pierre B%uleC started a 'raCe &%r serial
te'hni9ue3 a s'h%%l %& 20th4'entury '%(p%siti%n that %utlawed traditi%nal har(%ny3
t%nality and n%te repetiti%ns) $hanks t% their intelle'tual .enius and siCe %& pers%nality3 a
.enerati%n %& '%(p%sers &%ll%wed the( int% the i-%ry t%wer %& a-ant4.ardeis() $he
(usi' was e5tre(ely di&&i'ult t% play and %&ten i(p%ssible t% understand) Mu'h %& it was
u.ly: it was the e(per%r+s new 'l%thes3 and it shrank the audien'e &%r new (usi')
P%sterity is still si&tin. thr%u.h the %eu-res %& >t%'khausen3 B%uleC and their '%n&rLres)
;ill that s%rt %& (usi' e-er '%(e ba'k int% -%.ue< Inlikely)
*n the best3 ie (%st dis'ernin.3 areas %& 'lassi'al (usi'3 there is a sense %& l%n.4ter(
.r%wth and de-el%p(ent) $he idea that y%u 'an 'reate an %r'hestra &r%( the internet t%
play a &i-e4(inute pie'e by Chinese '%(p%ser $an Hun (akes a .reat st%ry3 but &ew in
the (usi' industry see it as the &uture %& (usi') ;hat is happenin. is that the br%ad
traditi%n %& %r'hestras3 '%ndu't%rs and &esti-als 0 a traditi%n that has e-%l-ed %-er 100
years and (%re 0 is tryin. t% di.est the e5pl%si-e i(pa't %& te'hn%l%.y) $here+s n%thin.
pe'uliar t% 'lassi'al (usi' ab%ut this) G-ery &ield %& li&e is e5perien'in. the sa(e thin.)
$he 'lassi'al traditi%n w%n+t disappear %-erni.ht3 but it (ay .radually (%rph in ways we
(ay be sl%w t% n%ti'e) >h%uld we be alar(ed< ;ill e-erythin. we -alue and respe't start
t% 'ru(ble< 16%u ha-e t% distin.uish between the %uter shell 0 the (arketin. and
presentati%n 0 and the heart %& it3 the s%ul %& the (usi'al e5perien'e that the per&%r(er
trans(its t% the listener) $hat part d%esn+t 'han.e (u'h32 says Jessi'a Lusti.3 &%undin.
partner at 21C Media Ar%up3 a ,ew 6%rk4based arts '%nsultan'y) 1$he e&&e'ti-eness %&
this '%((uni'ati%n has little t% d% with the %uter shell3 apart &r%( en'%ura.in. pe%ple t%
'%(e int% the hall wh% (i.ht n%t %therwise d% s%)2
>%3 yes3 'han.e is happenin. &aster in 'lassi'al (usi' than it did in the past3 but still
n%thin. like as &ast as %ther &%r(s %& 'ulture) $here are '%ntinuities in 'lassi'al (usi' that
we -alue and respe't3 and whi'h (ake it relati-ely i((une t% sh%rt4ter(is() *n that
sense 'lassi'al (usi' re(ains deeply un&ashi%nable) $hat+s why it has lasted)
Andrew Clark is the FTs chief classical usic critic
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Pr%(enadin. by nu(bers
L%%kin. thr%u.h the 2009 BBC Pr%(s pr%.ra((e3 y%u '%uld easily assu(e that t%day+s
&a-%urite '%(p%sers were 8andel3 8aydn3 Mendelss%hn and Pur'ell) 6%u w%uld be
wr%n.)
;hile the Pr%(s ha-e be'%(e (%re p%pulist in re'ent years3 with inn%-ati%ns su'h as
Pr%(s in the Park3 Pr%(s dire't%rs ha-e ne-er seen it as their (issi%n t% pander t% publi'
taste) *& they did3 ?i-aldi+s Four !easons and H-%rMk+s "ew #orld !yphony w%uld be
in'luded e-ery year3 (u'h like a Classi' @M 'hartlist)
$he reas%n 8andel3 8aydn3 Mendelss%hn and Pur'ell ha-e '%(e t% the &%re in 2009 is
that they ha-e anni-ersaries) 8andel died 2/0 years a.%E Mendelss%hn was b%rn 200
years a.%) $he (usi'al w%rld l%-es its anni-ersaries3 be'ause they enable pr%.ra((ers t%
rin. the 'han.es3 (%-e the sp%tli.ht ar%und and widen audien'e taste) $hey en'%ura.e us
t% reassess '%(p%sers wh% ha-e su&&ered ne.le't3 and t% e5pl%re lesser4kn%wn w%rks %&
well4kn%wn '%(p%sers)
Gn.lish '%(p%ser 8enry Pur'ell d%es parti'ularly well this year with 1" Pr%(s
per&%r(an'es3 '%(pared with n%ne last year and %nly %ne in 200!) ,% %ne w%uld
des'ribe 8aydn %r Mendelss%hn as 1p%pular2 but the established repert%ire in'ludes a
'%re %& w%rks by b%th3 and these &%r( the basis %& their unusually hi.h tally in 2009)
8aydn .ets 11 per&%r(an'es while Mendelss%hn .ets 13 '%(pared with a (ea.re tw%
ea'h &%r the past tw% years) $he bi..est bene&i'iary is 8andel with 16 per&%r(an'es) But
in re'ent years 8andel has rarely n%t'hed up (%re than a sin.le per&%r(an'e3 whereas
Beeth%-en and M%Cart pr%-ide a &%undati%n &%r e-ery Pr%(s seas%n)
M%st %& the 1204%dd '%(p%sers represented ea'h year are dead3 but the Pr%(s ha-e
always (ade strenu%us e&&%rts t% (%-e with the ti(es) $here+s a .reater e(phasis %n
y%uth than there was a .enerati%n a.%: si5 y%uth %r'hestras and 'h%irs parti'ipate in this
year+s series) $he in'lusi%n %& (usi' &r%( %utside the western 'lassi'al traditi%n 0 su'h as
the B%llyw%%d e5tra-a.anCa %n Au.ust 16 0 is an%ther re'ent trend)
$he a(%unt %& (usi' '%(p%sed by w%(en is als% %n the rise) @e(ale '%(p%sers were
rarely &eatured) Pr%(s dire't%rs ha-e always 'lai(ed t% be .ender4blind and tend t%
s9uir( when the .ender issue is raised) $heir 'h%i'es are ri.htly b%und by the 9uality %&
the (usi') Intil the (id420th 'entury s%'iety did n%t re'%.nise the 'reati-e aspirati%ns %&
w%(en3 s% it is hardly surprisin. (ale '%(p%sers sh%uld &ar %utnu(ber their &e(ale
'%unterparts in any Pr%(s seas%n) But the 2009 pr%.ra((e &eatures (usi' by si5
w%(en3 '%(pared with tw% in 2006 and 200!)