danse macabre, The swanlake, The Four Seasons: they are classical melodies that almost everyone can whistle along. Legendary music that has not been forgotten after centuries. But will classical music still be made in 2022? And can these composers compete with names such as Beethoven, Mozart and Bach?
By Danja Koeleman“Mozart was actually one of the first freelancers in music,” says Carine Lacor. The NPO Radio 4 DJ presented the Classical Top 400 last week, and so the symphonies of famous composers such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Andrew Lloyd Webber blared the air all day long.
“He organized concerts where non-aristocrats were also welcome and was one of the first not to be permanently employed by a court or king. His popularity fluctuated and it was not a big deal in terms of money – just like it is now the case for musicians and composers. But that he made something really good has proven itself: we still listen to it centuries later.”
Dominic Seldis knows why. “Classical music is the basis of all music,” says the British double bassist who works with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and is a jury member of the conducting competition Maestro. “Elton John, Lady Gaga: name any great artist and chances are they’ve studied classical music. A good pop song can’t be written without going back to basics.”
The pop and classical worlds copy and inspire each other, says Lacor. “The influence of classical music in the ‘contemporary world’ is noticeable everywhere. Violinists performing at the modern electronic dance party ADE, an orchestra that plays at Lowlands: it happens regularly. That can really be a way to discover the genre. “
‘Classical music can feel like the hand of God’
And although we still like to go back to old classical music, there is still plenty of new classical music being made. Just think of film music, such as the Lord of the Rings-soundtrack. Or the popular study playlists on Spotify. The piano music of the Italian Ludovico Einaudi (66) has a prominent place in it. “This neoclassical music is relaxing, moves quite quickly and certain melodies are recognizable and therefore addictive,” says Lacor.
People discover other classical music through such a playlist, explains the radio DJ. “From Enaudi they then go to Chopin and Beethoven: an unbelievable richness that reveals itself to you.”
Seldis also believes that classical music can bring a lot. “Classical music transports you to another place and manages to change your mood like no other. That can really be a religious experience. It can feel like the hand of God – without having to believe in a higher power. “
Classical music is often associated with a somewhat older target group. No coincidence, says Seldis. “When you are a bit older, you have your life in order, you can think: what now? Then classical music comes into play, because it can provide answers to such questions. The music provides an inner peace to put things in a place. to give.”
‘A lot of classical music today is bad’
“People often think: classical music, pooh. I don’t know anything about that, so I don’t start there,” notes Lacor. “But the genre is very broad. So there is a good chance that you will come across something that you find beautiful. There are very catchy melodies, cheerful baroque, sultry romanticism, but also almost elusive music that you really have to sit down for. And also songs of great rest and relaxation, such as the one Enaudi makes.”
Lacor also mentions 29-year-old Mathilde Wantenaar. “A young woman who receives assignment after assignment, writes for ensembles and orchestras and stormed into the Classical Top 400 this year with her night music. Most people don’t have that in mind when they think of classical music.”
Seldis is not very enthusiastic about these artists. “I play a lot of contemporary classical music in the orchestra, also by contemporary artists, but most of it is pretty bad. I think Stravinsky (1882-1971) was the last composer to make really good music. But also not everything Mozart made was great. In fact, the majority were pretty bad or boring.”
Even though Seldis is not very enthusiastic about contemporary classical music, he still thinks it is important to keep playing that work. “They are people who have devoted their lives to writing classical music. They will not be discovered if their music is not played. Mozart was not equally appreciated. And who knows, maybe one day we will find the new Mahler.”
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