Despite it originally being seen as a necessity by some, the abstraction of the musical museum is shown, in some ways, to negatively impact the musical world. While a new culture surrounding the concert halls has emerged, having the audience crave serious art, new composers like Brahms struggle to find a style that can win over the audience and square up in quality to the greatest of previous composers, like Beethoven. Others like Cage state that music must change, and the museum does not aid in that process. There are valid arguments for and against the musical museum, but despite one’s views, the museum has made an effect in the culture of concert halls as well as on the composers.
Unsurprisingly, there are those in the nineteenth century, …show more content…
According to Frisch, “The works of Beethoven comprised over 60 percent of the [Vienna Philharmonic] orchestra’s repertory from 1842 until 1850”, and reaching 25 percent as late as 1900 (177). These stats show the degree of impact the idea of the musical museum and the musical canon have on the concert halls; almost a decade after his death, the works of Beethoven continue to be played consistently. While some would be joyful about this, there are those like Copland who fall in between the lines of supportive and dismissive of the idea of the museum, and people like Cage who dislike the idea of preservation and reject the musical museum completely, while some composers like Brahms are haunted by the pressure of Beethoven’s …show more content…
Brahms feels the immense pressure put on him, exclaiming that he does not want to ever compose a symphony because he cannot compare himself to the likes of Beethoven. (Frisch 178). Frisch adds on, stating that Schumann notes, “we find many too close imitations [of Beethoven], but very, very seldom, with few exceptions, any true maintenance or mastery of this sublime form” (178). Brahms allows the musical museum to control him, being reminded that he will more than likely never reach the level of genius of Beethoven, and it is because of the influence the musical canon that drives Brahms to this obsession and his insanity. It is because of the musical museum that Brahms feels obligated to follow in a specific style, similar to the great composers, despite having theoretically no boundaries to his compositions. Despite composer’s liberation, inspired by the likes of Beethoven, originally being the reason for the creation of the musical museum, composers who follow in the historicist footsteps are bound to the guideline unintentionally set up by the original musical canon, and ironically find themselves unable to freely express their creativity because they are afraid they will not be recognized or remembered for their works if they do not become an exhibit in this imaginative music
Unsurprisingly, there are those in the nineteenth century, …show more content…
According to Frisch, “The works of Beethoven comprised over 60 percent of the [Vienna Philharmonic] orchestra’s repertory from 1842 until 1850”, and reaching 25 percent as late as 1900 (177). These stats show the degree of impact the idea of the musical museum and the musical canon have on the concert halls; almost a decade after his death, the works of Beethoven continue to be played consistently. While some would be joyful about this, there are those like Copland who fall in between the lines of supportive and dismissive of the idea of the museum, and people like Cage who dislike the idea of preservation and reject the musical museum completely, while some composers like Brahms are haunted by the pressure of Beethoven’s …show more content…
Brahms feels the immense pressure put on him, exclaiming that he does not want to ever compose a symphony because he cannot compare himself to the likes of Beethoven. (Frisch 178). Frisch adds on, stating that Schumann notes, “we find many too close imitations [of Beethoven], but very, very seldom, with few exceptions, any true maintenance or mastery of this sublime form” (178). Brahms allows the musical museum to control him, being reminded that he will more than likely never reach the level of genius of Beethoven, and it is because of the influence the musical canon that drives Brahms to this obsession and his insanity. It is because of the musical museum that Brahms feels obligated to follow in a specific style, similar to the great composers, despite having theoretically no boundaries to his compositions. Despite composer’s liberation, inspired by the likes of Beethoven, originally being the reason for the creation of the musical museum, composers who follow in the historicist footsteps are bound to the guideline unintentionally set up by the original musical canon, and ironically find themselves unable to freely express their creativity because they are afraid they will not be recognized or remembered for their works if they do not become an exhibit in this imaginative music