250 contemporary composer vs 50 classical greats
Fri, Apr 13 2012, 9:48PM
I enjoyed reading Phil's critique of Colin Matthew's open letter in the Guardian, signed by his not-so-merry gang of 250 composers who feel that, as proper composers, they should get the larger slice of the funding pie than some shyster with a Macbook and a contact mic, and who didn't go to the Royal Academy.
Within the same hour I picked up a copy of the new BBC Music Magazine special supplement, called The Great Composers, listing 50 of biggest names in classical music.
Guess what - no Schoenberg. Isn't that like leaving out Picasso from a list of the 50 biggest names in art? Obviously not - because despite all the riches he brought to music Arnold is not a household name and never will be (ie you can drive a Citroen Picasso, not a Citroen Schoenberg.) Even though by rights he should be in anyones Top 10 composers, he doesn't mean jack to most music lovers.
Thankfully, Samuel Barber does make it in...
Imagine if you will, a venn diagram - on the left hand side we have Schoenberg failing to get into the top 50 Great Composers. And on the right we have 250 British composers want more funding. The tiny grey area where the two circles intersect, that represents the chances of the majority of contemporary classical composers ever hearing their pieces performed twice.
Sat, Apr 14 2012, 12:24AM
#2
RE: 250 contemporary composer vs 50 classical greats
The problem starts with all these artificial lists, that have nothing to offer to anyone. What might mean the "biggest names" in classical music, in the first place?
As for the funding of new composers, if they are good enough to offer something of added value, they will find their way. My fear is that I haven't found yet any newcomer of some stature to inspire me for the actual development of what we know as Classical Music.
Parla
Should any artist be publically funded ? Public funding usually means some student with little talent thinks he's already made it and can spend the next 20 years giving the public something they neither want nor need.