Classical music

[blackfive]

I've just finished watching a televised broadcast of the Berlin Philarmonic playing Beethoven 5 and I got to wondering, what was it about this tiny microcosm in time that produced so many composers of such utterly stupendous music? What I suppose I mean is why, in such a short period in time did such greats as Beethoven, Bach, Mozart etc emerge to produce such perfection in sound? How could they assemble such a cacophony of instrumental combinations culminating in sheer musically idyllic excursions? Their music will be adored long after any so-called 'Popular' music is long forgetten. My question remains - why in such a short period in history did this phenomenon occur?

[bobbobley]

probably in much the same way that the beatles are so revered as being one of the best bands ever, where in actual fact the majority of their songs is just bog-standard three-chord pub rock. Crucially they were one of the first bands to be marketed in such a strong way, who had the looks, who had the charm, at a time when there wasn't much else that had gone before in a popular context. TV and radio coverage hadn't been as big etc. for bands a few years prior to them

I think the same goes for the more famous composers you refer to - there are still a number of fantastic composers out there these days coming up with some amazing stuff, but your guys were among the first to be widely heard, and are (fairly well) known by all age groups and person types these days through their continued use on ads etc.

Modern day composers (and classical music) aren't considered mainstream and so don't enjoy the same publicity that Beethoven, Bach etc enjoyed in the days when their musical style were 'the norm'.

[blackfive]

Have to dissagree with you there bobbobley, whilst I agree that things like the Beatles phenomena will probably not recur, your answer does not address the essence of my question - ie - what was so significant about this particular period in history? Let's face it, people will still be attending Beethoven/Bach/Mozart concerts for centuries to come!!

[Hippy]

I think that greatest single influence for which you search is the ability to repeat performances. Musical notation had come of age during the days of Teleman and Bach and this meant that the powerful and wealthy could employ bands to play music created some distance away. The musicians and composers of the day were able to develop ideas as they could be communicated more quickly over greater distances.

The next most amazing shift was the emergence during Haydn's lifetime, although admired by but not espoused by him, of Romanticism. Beethoven, the first famous champion composed music from his inner being, rather than as a twee pastime for the rich. The early Romantic composers ditched the idea that music should follow a "formula" that the listener should be able to anticipate. Mozart had laid the fist rebellious steps, but the by then self appointed music establishment dismissed his music as the scribblings of a mad maverick during his life, and deliberately ignored his opus after his death.

Roanticism was a force stronger than the straight laced establishment and was highly influential and popular once audiences overcame their initial confusion at the new sound and emotional content. The Romantic period effectively ended with the death of Gustav Mahler in 1911. Although composers have used the ideas of the Romantics since that time, it has been as a craft rather than a groundbreaking musical expression.

Before the development of a reliable and accepted musical notation, music was local, and once the performance was over it only existed in the memory so musical development was slow and much valuable composition was lost for ever.