Why Do We Not See Any More Mozarts or Beethovens? (singing, classic)

[thrillobyte]

Not sure how classical-music friendly this board is---Anyone ever wonder why a world of nearly 7 billion people does not or cannot produce one genuine classical musical genius composer? Philip Glass writes some nice stuff but he's about as good as it gets nowadays and I wouldn't place him anywhere near Rachmaninoff, who was considered a second-tier composer. Anyone have any ideas why? It happened just as technology was exploding at the turn of the century----the 20th century, that is.

[Thomas R.]

Well people aren't so likely to die of infectious disease or civil wars in the Western world. Maybe that makes for a bit less dramatic inspiration and fear. Although in parts of Africa and South Asia people may still die of those things, but it's possible their forms of "classical music" would be less appealing to Western ears.

If you just mean music prodigies Tori Amos, Samuel Butler, Herbie Hancock, and Alison Krauss were all prodigies at some instrument or other.

[Nepenthe]

I think Danny Elfman's work is every bit as complex, thrilling and moving.

[thrillobyte]

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I think Danny Elfman's work is every bit as complex, thrilling and moving.

As complex, thrilling and moving as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake? Interesting.

[thriftylefty]

Very interesting that you mention Technology! Many of the musical abilities that were considered not only common place with 19th century composers (and before), were also prerequisites. Sight Singing, Dictation, Hand Copying music, part writing, Harmonization, and orchestration are all taught in Music schools today. Computer Programs can approximate all these skills and many Grammy winning song writers can't do them anyway. Composers like Mozart, and Beethoven had to practically be blessed with minds like Einstein just to be a musician.

[Nepenthe]

Originally Posted by thrillobyte

As complex, thrilling and moving as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake? Interesting.

Yes, and actually MORE enjoyable to boot.

[Lady Ice]

I think the environment in earlier centuries was more suited to showcasing composers. We have to remember that it was the popular music of its day, there was a greater incentive then to channel musical genius into that style of music. It brought the money and fame that is now sought in other genres of music.

[nJohn]

I would say technology. Skills that where honed in the classical era are almost non existent today. I bet that most top 40 "artists" can't read music. And the popularity of classical music is low. It's sad because there is SO much talent and patience that classical music demands. Technology speeds up the process and diminished the essence no matter how "cool" it is.

[TKramar]

There are still children learning the piano at a young age, like Mozart did. Even in their own time, how many "musical geniuses" were there?

[Old Man Winter]

Its humurous that a few posters listed top 40 musical artists in comparison to Mozart and Beethoven. Mozart and Beethoven were childhood musical genious ! Pop culture artists hardly compare in talent. To think otherwise is a dishonor to great composers. Not all musicians are composers, not all composers are musicians. Regardless of what genre music you prefer, there are no artists that compare. Many Pop artists dont even write their own stuff, many country artists dont write. I am a musician, I have played guitar for 30 years now. There are many guitarists today that use classical composition in their music, you may not like the style of music it is represented in, but some of the "shred" guitarists are 100 % classically trained and it can be heard in their playing. Even as gifted as these guitarists are none of them even come close to the great composers. Just my 2 cents, but if any artists today composed like Mozart and Beethoven perhaps all the symphonies around the world would move on and stop recreating their work!