Posted by Joe Baker on October 24, 2000 at 18:21:38:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Are orchestras dying? posted by Rick Denney on October 24, 2000 at 17:54:43:
You make a great point! The greats of the past were part of the popular culture of the day. Particularly in the early days of the grammophone and the radio, the common man could experience opera and orchestra. Bernstein and Stokowski were popular on television programs. Too bad we don't have anybody like that today.
Or do we? You mention John Williams. How is he so different? His music is enjoyed by the common man, as was orchestral music of the past. So what if Wagner's music was largely opera and Williams' is mostly movie music. The two are not that different! They are both written to move the emotions of the viewer, and are both successful at doing so. Yes, Wagner's music has stood the test of time, but how do we know Williams' won't? Williams' music is expressive, emotional, and at times deeply moving. Scoff if you will (and I know some of you already are, but I don't care), but I recently came across my 'Superman: the Movie' soundtrack and listened to some of the background music. It isn't any huge departure, nothing ground-breaking or 'heavy', but a lot of it is just beautiful!
So now, we call this 'Pops' and look down our noses at it. Why? Because it is 'accessible'? Because the lowly non-musicians can appreciate it? Maybe we are getting a little snooty about this. Maybe the tastes of non-musicians count as much as the tastes of the elite musician! Maybe -- just maybe -- 'Pops' is just as valuable musically as anything.
I see a three-way relationship: the composer, the musicians, and the audience. Right now, the audience sees the musicians as snooty. Why? I think it is at least partially because of the contempt that SOME show for the audience and the composers they favor. When musicians sneer at Pops pieces as 'pedestrian', the audience who loves them will naturally say, "to he** with you."