For years, the death of classical music has been proclaimed by a plethora of journalists, musicians and, most likely, a lot of the general public. In a world where popular music has such a huge impact on society, it can feel as if classical music is simply out-dated and unneeded. If you asked the majority of my year whether they listened to composers or artists, violins or synths, I’m almost certain their answer would be the latter. Is it safe to say then that that classical music is dead, that it no longer has any relevance, that it is time people look forward rather than seeking the past? Not necessarily and I’ll tell you why.
Although classical music is often perceived as… and you will have heard this too… being for rich, smart, snobby old people in black tie outfits, there is no reason to carry on this tradition. Several organisations such as the Multi-Story Orchestra and Groupmuse hope to change this. Led by Kate Whitley and Christopher Stark, the Multi-story Orchestra is a group of 65 young musicians from around the country that share the same desire to make classical music accessible to a wider audience. They came up with the idea to perform in a disused multi-story car park in South-East London in an attempt to remove the alienation that comes with a traditional concert venue. Writing for the Guardian, they express that live classical music is “one of the most exhilarating, visceral, subversive experiences; a thrill that the traditional concert-going experience can numb”. Similarly, Groupmuse in America is a social media app that connects chamber musicians to classical music lovers to provide a more intimate experience in living rooms for precisely the same reasons. If the stereotypes around the music can be challenged, then so can the trepidation that often accompanies it.
Another common misconception is that classical music is boring – I know! Although it can seem that classical music is just “a group of pointless guys from hundreds of years ago”, classical music does continue to be written and continues to evolve. Performers are also discovering new ingenious ways to entertain their audiences, notably Lang Lang arriving at the stage by gondola at the 2012 Latitude Festival. This is not to say that the older music is not relevant; its influence continues even to this day. People just don’t realise the impact classical music has on their lives. Not only does it influence popular music (such as the chart-topping band Clean Bandit whose first track was a remix of Dovrak in reggae style), it is also ever present in films and game music. Increasingly, fans of video games are even buying tickets to orchestral concerts of their favourite video game soundtracks. Whether or not you enjoy classical music, you cannot deny the importance of the feelings it generates when watching a film or playing a videogame.
Nevertheless, newspapers will continue to publish the constantly recurring statistics suggesting that less classical albums are being bought, less concerts are being attended and less young people are interested. This may be the case but it does not mean that classical music is dead. There will always be passionate classical music lovers as long as there are instruments to play and musicians to play them. And thanks to the video game industry, hard working visionaries and its influence on pop culture, that group of music lovers may continue to grow as more young people discover the power of classical music and the emotions it can generate. Just as Macbeth is still relevant today for its themes of ambition and loyalty, these feelings that the music generates are part of being human and therefore will live on forever.
Classical music is not dead and never will be.