The Short-sightedness of Commercial Music

It has come to my attention that there are still people in the world, some of them dangerously situated on university faculty and holding the position of administrators, who think that the future of serious (non-pop and non-rap) music is only electronic. They honestly believe that in the near future, live music will no longer exist. This view is shared by many in the general public at large. Many believe that since so many record stores – I suppose I should say CD stores – have recently closed, or have had their inventory drastically reduced, that this is a sign that their prediction is coming true. They also cite the fact that much of the music in America today is available on download from the Internet. They make note of the declining attendance at concerts of symphonies, ballets, and chamber music. What is indeed shocking, is that some of these individuals seem to think that once music becomes all electronic, there will be no more live performances Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Mozart, or any of the great composers.

Robin McNeil lives with his wife in Littleton where he teaches piano privately and continues to do research on the French composer Théodore Gouvy and the Medieval Mass. McNeil is an honorary member of the Institut Théodore Gouvy of Hombourg-Haut, France; president of the Piano Arts Association; and a member of the Henry Bradshaw Society (for the preservation and publication of rare liturgical documents). Read more of his work at OpusColorado.com.