Who Killed Classical Music?

📖 The Scoop

In the closing years of the twentieth century, classical music and opera have undergone radical transformation, and a structure that stretched back to Bach and Handel has been destroyed.

In recent years, the price of concert tickets has risen beyond the reach of ordinary music lovers-and orchestras have been limited to catering to the tastes of the rich. And yet, with box office receipts soaring, orchestras are dying. They need big-name performers to attract audiences, but are held ransom by the stars, who demand exorbitant fees, while orchestra members must take cuts in pay.

In this controversial and polemical book, Norman Lebrecht writes the start-to-finish history of the classical music business: its heroes, villains, lions, and legends. Rich on inside information and vital statistics, this is a successor to The Maestro Myth, in which Lebrecht laid bare the hidden crisis in the conducting profession. In this vital, penetrating, and lively account he records the final days of serious music as an independent art and confronts the murderers of classical music.

Genre: Music / Business Aspects (fancy, right?)