CLASSICAL
MUSIC IN AN AGE OF POP
Greg
Sandow
Spring
2012
blog on the
future of classical music
Class
Schedule and Assignments
This schedule might change, depending on how long some of
our discussions take.
The assignments might change, too.
I’ll email all updates.
Introduction
to this course
January 25
The crisis in classical music
reading:
classical
music before the crisis:
Greg
Sandow, “When
Opera Was Popular” – a post from my blog, featuring a New York Times story from 1923, about
the farewell performance of Met Opera soprano Geraldine Farrar. Farrar had a
huge number of teenage fans, and they went wild. Reading about this is like
taking a trip to another world.
“One
and Two and…” (Life magazine,
June 29, 1962. Life, in those days,
was one of America’s most popular magazines. Here it celebrates the piano, complete with a newly commissioned piano piece by Aaron
Copland, which it printed for its readers to play.)
[Follow the link, which takes you to the June 29, 1962
issue of Life, as archived on Google
Books. The story on the piano starts on page 38. To go there, enter “38” in the
box at the top of the page, to the right of the word “contents,” and then hit
the return key.]
shapshots of the
crisis:
David Gockley, “Notes from the General Director” (The CEO of the San Francisco Opera says his company is in deep, deep trouble)
Ray Mark Rinaldi, “Colorado Symphony to revamp concerts, emphasize community focus” (Denver Post, December 23, 2011)
Greg Sandow, “Where
We Stand: The Classical Music World Today” (originally written for my blog, revised for this class)
February 1
What
is classical music? Why should it survive?
reading:
some definitions of classical music, and comments about it, from various sources
Kyle MacMillan, “Violinist Zukerman
decries sad state of classical music,” (Denver
Post, November 15, 2007)
written assignment, due 10 AM, Monday, February 6:
Please
answer the following questions. Feel free to write in a normal, everyday style.
This isn’t a formal paper! You don’t have to write more than two or three
pages, and by all means write less, if you can answer the questions more
briefly:
·
Why do you think
classical music should survive?
·
What does it offer the
world, that nothing else can offer?
Please
email this—and all other written assignments—to me at greg@gregsandow.com.
If you’re going to be late with an assignment—not
recommended—absolutely let me know in advance.
As
you’ll see, these questions tie into the subject of our next class. I’ll use
your comments to start the discussion. Which is why I need your papers on
Monday morning, two days before class. I need time to read what you write, and
to find excerpts I’ll talk about in class next week.
Marcus Westbury, “Mozart cover bands rake
in the moolah” (Sydney [Australia] Morning
Herald, October 18, 2007)
Peter Linett, “The
Two Cultures in Classical Music” (from Asking
Audiences, a blog on the website of Linett’s
audience research company, SloverLinett Strategies)
websites:
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Both of these, I think, present classical music in a truly contemporary way. But you’re free to disagree – or to think that this isn’t a good thing to do.
short video:
Here’s what this is about. The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment was looking for people – members of their audience – to use in their advertising. But they didn’t want anyone who looked like a normal classical music listener. Follow the link for a description of what they had in mind, along with a window where you can watch the video.
And then go here to see how well they’ve succeeded.
listening:
Wilhelm Backhaus, a great pianist from the last century, improvises a prelude to Schumann’s “Das Abend"
This was recorded at Backhaus’s last recital, which he played in 1969 in Carinthia, Austria. First there’s an announcement from the stage, saying in German that Backhaus isn’t well, and won’t play the scheduled work, Beethoven’s Op. 111 sonata. Instead, he’ll play a short Schumann piece, which we then hear, starting with the improvised prologue.
Mozart, Symphony No. 31, “Paris,” first movement (Academy of Ancient Music; Jaap Schroeder, concertmaster, Christopher Hogwood, continuo.)
These assignments bring you performances from the past, all showing a kind of freedom and ease –- along with a talent for pure entertainment, alongside great artistry -- which we don’t often find in classical music today. (Or at least that’s what I think. You’re welcome to disagree!)
listening:
Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto, second movement (Joseph Szigeti, violin, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, recorded in 1933)
Schubert, “Serenade,” sung in English by Richard Crooks (1941)
videos:
Gino Bechi sings the “Toreador Song” from Carmen, in Italian (from a 1948 Italian film Follie per l’opera, or “Mad About Opera”)
Gregor Piatigorsky ends a recital with an arrangement of “The Swan,” from Carnival of the Animals (from Carnegie Hall, a 1947 Hollywood movie)
Artur
Rubinstein plays DeFalla’s “Ritual Fire Dance” (also
from Carnegie Hall)
Frank Sinatra, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” (from Songs for Swingin’ Lovers, 1956)
Guns N’ Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle” (from Appetite for Destruction, 1988)
The Dells, “Oh What A Nite” (single, 1956)
Lucinda Williams, “Ventura” (from World Without Tears, 2003)
Eric B. & Rakim, “Follow the Leader” (from Follow the Leader, 1988)
Björk, “An Echo, A Stain” (from Vespertine, 2002)
Josephine Foster, “An die Musik” (from A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, 2006)
We all agree that classical music is art. But what is pop music? Listen to these songs, and think about how you’d classify them. Apparently they’re not classical music, but why? What are the differences? What makes them pop, and not classical?
And could they – just possibly – be art? If not, why not?
We’ll talk about all this in class.
(Note that the Josephine Foster song is a version of a classical piece. So maybe there the question would be: Why is it pop?)
March 7, March 14: spring break
March 21
reading:
Catherine Shefski, Go Play: Motivating the New Generation of Pianists (ebook by a piano teacher)
website:
Brooklyn Philharmonic (a completely new idea of what an orchestra should be)
video:
Mason Bates, “Warehouse Medicine from B-Sides,”
performed live by the YouTube Symphony in Carnegie Hall
March
28
Seth Godin, Tribes (excerpt)
Clive
Thompson, “Sex, Drugs, and Updating Your
Blog,” from the New
York Times Magazine, May 13, 2007 (about how to promote a pop career
all by yourself, on the Web)
Greg Sandow, “How to do it” (blog post)
websites:
New England Conservatory, Entrepreneurial Musicianship program. Please watch the video (which I can’t link to here).
Manhattan School of Music, Center for Music Entrepreneurship
entrepreneurial musicians:
The Knights (a new kind of chamber orchestra, started by Juilliard graduates)
Watch the PBS show about them (you’ll also find this video on their website)
Anderson & Roe (A piano duo. Both of them took this class, but I can’t take credit for what they do. They were doing it long before they met me.)
Watch the promotional video for their album, when words fade
Greg Sandow, “What if we call it what it is?” (blog post about an orchestra started by a conductor in Rochester)
Greg Sandow, “Promoting with gusto” (blog post about a South African pianist who build a highly individual career).
Fixing
the crisis: Finding an audience your own age (an entrepreneurial project)
reading:
Zachary Lewis, “Free
tickets for children one of many new initiatives planned by Cleveland Orchestra”
(Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 26,
2010
“Dispatch from Canada: Toronto Symphony Orchestra strikes gold with the kids” (Los Angeles Times, June 30, 2011)
Jordan Levin, “Classical musicians test ways to appeal to younger audiences” (Miami Herald, January 15, 2012)
posts from my blog, about performances that reached a young audience:
“How to Attract a Young Audience”
videos and listening:
“The Night Shift at Village Underground, Shoreditch” (the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment goes into a club)
also look at the Night Shift web page (go to the page, and then click “Explore further”)
“Reverb 2010” (video highlights from a classical music festival at the Roundhouse, a performing space in London that mostly does pop music)
read the program listing for the Reverb 2010 festival
Roundhouse Radio: Reverb 2012 Documentary. Go to the Roundhouse website, and click the link to the documentary.
Be as personal as you like. In fact, the point is to talk about your own thoughts and feelings, about the very personal, individual, even unique reasons why you love the piece you’re talking about. There’s no need to talk about the history of the piece, or its structure, unless these are things that truly excite you. Speak from your heart, in your own way.
Fixing
the crisis: Taking one small step (2)
Continuing your presentations in class.
Fixing
the crisis: Shaping your brand (1)
reading:
Jade Simmons, “Are You a Victim of Artistic Identity Theft?” (a post from her ”Emerge Already” blog)
Greg Sandow, “Sell What You Are” (blog post)
videos:
“Ghosts and Flowers: The Handel-Halvorsen Passacaglia” (This is a video made by two recent Juilliard graduates, Arianna Warsaw-Fan and Meta Weiss. As far as I know, they didn’t intend to brand themselves. But if they made more videos like this, would they – just possibly -- have a brand?)
“Spot Ninja” – a video promoting the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg
websites:
Look at these websites, and ask yourself how they make you feel. Do they make you interested in the person or institution involved? What do these websites make you think would happen, if you heard performances by these people? Or if you went to Juilliard?
Brooklyn Philharmonic (again)
Viktoria Mullova. Look at her photos. Especially my favorite, which is this one. So moody, not like a standard publicity shot. Makes me want to hear how she plays.
Orchestra of Age of Enlightenment (again)
assignment for next week:
Think about the presentation you gave in class, the one about music you love. What were the things that you said in that presentation, that meant the most to you?
Also think about yourself as a musician. About what you care about most, when you make music, or think about it. About what’s in your heart, about the reasons why you love music so much. And about what you want to accomplish when you perform.
Thinking of all these things, find a few words – a short phrase, a sentence – that you could use to describe yourself as a musician. Words that sum up your musical essence.
You might want to think of more than one phrase. And don’t worry if the phrases don’t seem perfect, or even if you think they’re not very good. This is an exercise in working toward phrases you might someday use. You don’t have to come up with a finished product. Just take some preliminary steps.
Also look for graphics that seem to evoke what you do. You can find them in print (in a magazine, for instance), or on the web. They can be photos, drawings, advertisements – anything. Most likely they won’t be about you (unless you have a logo, or photos or drawings of yourself that you want to use). The idea is simply to find something visual that seems to inhabit the same world you do. Again, these don’t have to fit you perfectly. Like the words that you’ll think of, they’re just a first step.
Bring these materials – your phrase or phrases, and your graphics – to class. If you found graphics on the web, please print them out for all of us to see. We’ll talk about what all of you bring, and see what the next step might be – the next step toward words and images to help define your personal brand.
May 2
Fixing the crisis: Shaping your brand (2)
Discussion about shaping your personal brand, based on the words and images you bring to class.
assignment:
informal paper, due by email May 16, the date of our final class:
Imagine a concert you might give, that’s an expression of your brand. By which I mean a concert that’s entirely you, a concert that expresses the essence of your musical self, which you’ve worked to capture in words and images. Describe the program, the setting (where you’d give the concert), and also how you’d promote the event. Everything – from the music you choose to the way you’d publicize the performance – should be an expression of everything that, as a musician, you care about most.
This paper might be three pages long. But, as before, write at whatever length – shorter than three pages, or longer -- seems to make sense, to say what you want to say.
