tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post5038521708129446110..comments2024-03-15T20:32:39.815+00:00Comments on On An Overgrown Path: Forget Dudamel - this man is classical music's futureUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-75704802624874719352013-12-12T09:24:39.667+00:002013-12-12T09:24:39.667+00:00News from across the Atlantic suggests I am pushin...News from across the Atlantic suggests I am pushing at the right door - http://www.therestisnoise.com/2013/12/words-fail.htmlPliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-34623481449915595962013-12-11T16:42:55.857+00:002013-12-11T16:42:55.857+00:00Elaine, we need to differentiate between rich peop...Elaine, we need to differentiate between rich people who give generous amounts of money to help classical music survive, and people from the business world who hold multiple positions of power in classical music and who are also, coincidentally wealthy. <br /><br />There is no evidence that the people I mention in my post are in positions of power because of their philanthropy, although they may well be generous donors. They are there because of their business background and connections, and I question if that qualifies them to hold the positions they do. (Note that the UK Banking Standards Commission found one of the subjects of this post, Lord Dennis Stevenson, guilty of a "colossal failure" of management - the many people, including me, who lost large amounts of money when the bank he was chairman of failed will agree with that judgement.) And even if they are qualified to sit on the boards of classical music institutions, I question whether they should hold multiple positions of power. <br /><br />These people are not funding classical music, they are running it. In fact as the linked newspaper article reports, Simon Robey - who reportedly earned an annual bonus of between £5m and £10m - is pleading for more money on behalf of classical music.<br /><br />http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/lend-us-a-tenor-says-royal-opera-house-chairman-8623667.html <br /><br />http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22027664Pliablehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616598845886342325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8060605.post-32155916916076518552013-12-11T14:58:40.746+00:002013-12-11T14:58:40.746+00:00Rich people who love music have ALWAYS been the re...Rich people who love music have ALWAYS been the reason that "classical music" institutions survive. When I was young I used to distrust them, but now that I see things in a much broader historical way, I understand that the only reason that music and art continue to be made available to people who don't have large amounts of money is through the generosity (or obsessive love) of those who do.<br /><br />One problem that some of us who believe in social justice have is that some of the people who love music as much as we musicians want to play it are of a very different kind of political mind. Sometimes that different kind of political mind is one that acts exploitatively and manipulates politicians.<br /><br />The only solace we have is that this kind of thing has gone on since the Renaissance. The music and art survives, though. And it still will, as long as there are people who have both money and taste.<br /><br />One big problem that we face is that often times people who have extreme wealth lack taste. This happens among people who don't have wealth as well. Money can't buy taste. Unfortunately.<br /><br />So the future of classical music is like a volleyball passed between people who love music deeply, and those that have personal preferences that may not have much to do with anything that lies below the surface of the combination of good looks, a flashy (and reliable) technique, and stage presence (in composers as well as in performing musicians). <br /><br />I know that as a working musician (performing and writing), who is not of the flashy ilk, it is not likely that I will see vast sums of cash and support come my way (miracles can happen, but I'm not holding my breath), But I do know that if a "culture maker" were to ask me for something and reward me with exposure, press, accolades, and money, I would do my best to deliver whatever it is they ask of me.<br /><br />That is the tradition of "classical music." It always has been, and I believe it always will be. Elaine Finehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14248422399226824168noreply@blogger.com