Where Has the Time Gone?: The Impending Finality of Classical Music
Classical music has been on a steady decline for decades and that decline is only worsening since the pandemic. But, the death of classical music should be treated like the tragedy it is.
Written by Gracie Warhurst
Illustrated by Anisha Kamat
The Butler School of Music at UT-Austin, like many other classical music directors and performers, began streaming performances in response to social distancing guidelines. Despite this, not many people — students or otherwise — seem to be aware that there even are classical music performances at UT. This trend persists outside of the university and Austin itself. When’s the last time (or any time) you or a friend chose to play Yo-Yo Ma on the aux instead of Kanye? The answer for the vast majority of people is probably never.
Classical music had already been in steady and obvious decline before the pandemic. In a culture where fads come and go in weeks rather than years, and new artists are competing for streams just as aggressively as they’re making music, classical can’t keep up. Another nail in the coffin is that the younger generation decidedly has the most influence over what’s popular — which is the opposite demographic for most concert music enthusiasts. That downward trend is amplified in 2021, speeding up the inevitable death of the symphony.
It’s no surprise that a majority of people would rather score pit tickets to their favorite band than sit politely in a concert hall. The classical music experience is completely different from any modern-day concert, ranging from the attire to the etiquette. It’s mandatory to dress up, meaning no ripped jeans and T-Shirts (or anything else that defines the peak of young fashion), and there aren’t any lyrics to sing along to. Even clapping or swaying haphazardly in a fit of inspiration is looked down upon. Oh — and good luck finding someone to go with — because it does indeed require way more effort to attend these performances than many are willing to put up with.
Despite this decidedly unpopular public opinion of classical music, it is one of the most powerful and enriching music genres. Learning a classical instrument at a young age brings a whole slew of benefits including the ability to learn math easier. Classical music touches the mind in ways other genres can’t, calming your nerves or filling you with joy in a wholly organic experience. Studying for a test or writing an essay can be mentally exhausting, but filling the silence with chamber music somehow eases the tension and lets you focus on your task. Movies and musicals alike are transformed by a good symphony, bringing the actors’ emotions to life. But it goes beyond just listening to a symphony or attending a concert — composing music is as good an outlet as any. Just as writing lyrics can be therapeutic, creating classical pieces can go a step beyond and express emotions beyond words.
So, it’s not that listening to classical music is better than listening to modern music, it’s that it’s just as good. But, it’s not Gen Z’s fault that classical music is disappearing off the face of the planet, just like it's not any old geezer’s fault either. The performing art has done itself a disservice, by not adapting to the changing nature of music, streaming, and performing accordingly. Recognizable pieces get lost in the midst of new releases and top charts on streaming apps and with no new promotion, listeners have to go out of their way to find them. Yes, some groups like the Vitamin String Orchestra have released pop covers of popular music, but not everyone wants to hear just a different version of their favorite song. And, although phenomenal works have come out of movie scores, writers shouldn’t have to wait around for a new movie to make music, especially not when they’re constrained by the themes of the film. Composing new classics for the sake of composing has become a lost art, dying way faster than the music itself has. There’s only so much of Bach and Beethoven that can be reinvented. And kids certainly do not want to sit quietly among an audience of people old enough to be their grandparents to get a taste.
If there’s a way to revive the old and make it new again, we haven’t found it. And apparently, as time goes on in a pandemic, the old is going away faster than ever. The day that the remaining symphony orchestra plays their last concert will be a sad one — If not for the loss of the music itself, then for the loss of everything we gain by keeping it around.