Comments on: Classical Music: Traditional Treasure versus Modern Mores

By: eSa

eSa — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:48:38 +0000

Ah. I too was a Spoleto Festival USA apprentice, and I must say undergrad Music Appreciation 101 doesn’t hold a candle to my classical education in Charleston. It helps when you attend every concert with a classical cellist/Yalie/fellow apprentice…

Might I add that your guidelines apply to the ballet as well? Of course they do. Thank you for this article!

By: Andrea

Andrea — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:14:59 +0000

As a young classical music lover, nothing frustrates me more than to see kids in jeans and tee-shirts at a performance. And it’s not just there; I have seen jeans at church, graduations, even a funeral. Do you not own a pair of khakis? Dressing well is a pleasure and a sign of respect for the people around you in certain circumstances. Thank you for mentioning it!

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:12:20 +0000

Wonderful piece and good comments. As to getting started with classical music, I would recommend a book I picked up many years ago called “Who’s Afraid of Classical Music?”. Very readable and down-to-earth discussions of the different styles and composers, including which pieces are best for enjoying. Not stuffy. Not erudite. Just very helpful.

By: Joel

Joel — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:10:34 +0000

That was a long comment.
My comment: SP, these last two entries are espesh timely for me—I’ve wanted to start enjoying classical but don’t know where to start. So: where?

With thanks,
Joel

Dear Joel,
First begin by checking into the organizations closest to where you live. If you are not in a large city with an orchestra, are you near a university? Many schools have recitals and performances outside of the big cities. Then of course, there is the Great Performances Series of PBS. Check the local listings. Let me know how your search goes. And yes, our lady of knowledge above does love to wax on, but we do like to give a forum if the subject contributes to the discussion.
Cordially,
SP

By: Cat

Cat — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:31:07 +0000

I have to agree with SP about not “modernizing” everything to attract
the young. I am going to write about opera rather than instrumental
classical music but it all applies. I have to disagree with SP that the
audience is shrinking. I say that it is growing. An older opera singer
once told me that when she was coming up, one had to seek one’s
career in Europe because there weren’t any opera houses in the US for
beginners. There was the MET, San Francisco and Chicago, basically.
Now there are good opera houses in almost every city and town.
Also most universities, now, have good to great classical music departments.

As I was growing up, it seemed to me that opera was the purview of
the elderly rich and young students of high school and college age.
It was the middle aged group which was less in attendance. What
I have seen now, at L.A Opera and the MET is a pretty even mix
of all ages. Matinees will skew older; same at the symphony.

As far as popularity of music goes, at least in the US, it is country
western music that, by far, is more popular than all others. Rock
is a far second and a very small percentage goes to classical and
jazz. This has been the case for most of the last century and
continues today. The Three Tenors, as a group and particularly
Luciano Pavarotti, have done much to bring opera to ‘masses”.
His Nessun’ Dorma, form the opera “Turandot” of Puccini, was number
one on the pop charts in 1990. Also, Andrea Bocelli, not really an
opera grade singer but similar, has brought many to opera.

Whenever anyone says that we have to have more wild and crazy
productions because “we have to attract younger audiences”, I always
say that opera is over 400 years old and old and dying audiences
are always replaced by a new old audience. Opera has to be
presented in traditional ways with the best singers available; not the
best LOOKING singers. Opera is an improbable art form, I admit.
Most of the leading characters are very young; teen aged and early
twenties. But it takes a mature person with a mature voice to sing
their music. This is a generalization, of course but it holds true.

I do enjoy an imaginative production on occasion. Our Ring is very
modern and fanciful; by Achim Freyer. It’s wonderful. And as The
Ring is a fairy tale, it all works. For the operas of Puccini or Verdi,
tradition is better. This is just one person’s opinion but I am not
alone. When one goes to the opera, one goes first and foremost
for the singing. So whatever crazy idea a director may have, I think
the comfort of the singers must come first. It usually doesn’t; and
I think it all suffers from that.

I’ve always believed that if real tried and true classical pieces are
presented by the best players/singers available, audiences of all
ages will come. I’m also happy to say that, with few exceptions,
our audiences at LA Opera dress properly: Gowns and Tuxes for
opening nights and suits and nice dressy clothes for other nights.
A night at the opera or symphony is an occasion to leave the jeans
at home. There are nice clothes for every budget; so it’s not a money
thing.

As for instrumental classical music, the occasional modern piece
is interesting but hard to take. I prefer the Three B’s and those
guys, including Mahler, etc. After the word “classical” means
something that has been around a good long time; has legs and has
endured for years…..Except in rock where to be a “classic”, two or
three months is all that is needed.

Thank you, SP, for bringing this up.!