Is Classical Music Dying?

[landho]

Also, it costs a lot to produce a classical album--for the larger works, you have to pay union fees for all the musicians involved, and the recording engineer has to be really top notch, again especially in the larger works. And given that a classic album that does really well will sell 15,000 to 25,000 copies or so, it can't be very profitable.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by landho

Also, it costs a lot to produce a classical album--for the larger works, you have to pay union fees for all the musicians involved, and the recording engineer has to be really top notch, again especially in the larger works. And given that a classic album that does really well will sell 15,000 to 25,000 copies or so, it can't be very profitable.

Yes, the unions have really hurt the business here. Even at the ASO where a special union controls stage setup and the precise (down to the second) timing of work breaks and total hours.

Most classical albums sell far less that 25,000 copies.

 

[Dmax]

You mean the union members don't deserve a "living" wage? It must be difficult to find good people to roll the grand pianos around.

 

[Thomas]

^^^ holy smokes.

 

[wiru]

yeah but they work an 800 hour week!!!!

 

[sho'nuff]

classical music dying? not in the circles i know. it is strong and thriving. and i listen to it all the time.

 

[fkl118]

Maybe I should buy Hilary Hahn's CDs instead of burning copies.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by fkl118

Maybe I should buy Hilary Hahn's CDs instead of burning copies.

You can always buy Julia Fischer instead.

 

[fwiffo]

It would be nice to see how someone like Lang Lang compares with a more pedestrian artist. I can attest from the concert sales here, the more "popular" artists are sold out.

I'm not sophisticated and maybe I'm too conservative or snobbish to appreciate it but the modern works really irk me so I would not be surprised if those newly commissioned pieces are low in sales.

 

[landho]

Classic superstar model of economics.

As far as its dying--no one is saying that it is going to vanish. But sales of classical-music CDs certainly don't justify their production, especially when you consider the expertise required to produce such a record. (A recording engineer has to be much more skilled to record a classical record, especially a large-scale work, than he or she has to be in order to record, say, a rock record. Note that I am not trying to bash rock music!)

 

[FiveFiveFive]

Originally Posted by tagutcow

Any new recording/packing of a CD of Mozart's/Beethoven's/Brahms's/&c. music is going to have to compete with however many dozen recording of the same pieces have been released throughout the decades. Basically, recordings of non-contemporary classical have neither the benefit of currency nor uniqueness that pop music recordings have.

I'm sure, comparatively speaking, that classical does very well in back catalog sales.

I think this is true to a certain extent, but I like hearing how different artists interpret and execute the same pieces. That's actually the aspect of classical music that most interests me.

The key is having artists who are musical and worth listening to.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by landho

Classic superstar model of economics.

As far as its dying--no one is saying that it is going to vanish. But sales of classical-music CDs certainly don't justify their production, especially when you consider the expertise required to produce such a record. (A recording engineer has to be much more skilled to record a classical record, especially a large-scale work, than he or she has to be in order to record, say, a rock record. Note that I am not trying to bash rock music!)

Two ways around this:

Pressing on Demand: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/main.jsp

High Resolution Downloads: www.hdtracks.com

 

[1969]

My parents were both classical violinists. Growing up around symphony life I can tell you that it's always been an art that is not supported by ticket or record sales. Large cities basically see it as an indictment on their community if they can't support a symphony so the banks and other business leaders raise the cash that it takes to run an orchestra. Will people still gather to listen to Vivaldi in the year 2310? Dunno.

 

[Fuuma]

It's not dying; it's dead. It has been almost entirely engulfed in academic consecration, stultified in ritual and is now a musical museum, dead music for dead audiences. Few exceptions aside it has entered the territory of cultural history and excited the living, breathing one of art.

 

[NorCal]

Considering all the Classic rock stations, I'd say no.