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Classical Music Canon
The element of canonization of the classical music is one that can be traced back to the eighteenth century. This was after much of the other arts such as literature and paintings. These two had started much earlier and it was not until the eighteenth century that music became a crucial part of cultural sustenance projects (Weber). This is a trend that started in Europe, where the element of preserving the older cultural practices came into effect. It was largely with the view of making sure that the European culture in music was not lost; before this, much of the music produced at the time would be lost in a generation or two. With the development in the religious, economic and political circle within Europe, the element of preserving music came up (Weber). The church on one hand wanted to maintain some of the practices and this meant the preservation of the music. At the same time, there was a growing middle and upper class that now wanted play the old music which would then turn into a culture and eventually into a tradition. Theaters came up, which would see hundreds flock to listen to the canonized classical music (Heller p.196).
It is important to note that, this is an aspect that changes the way that people interacted with the older music (Cage). From lasting only a few generations to lasting a lifetime. Today people are still interacting with the classical music, following the quest to have it preserved. More importantly, the music culture now includes listening to classics at the theaters. As mentioned above, classical music is now part of the tradition that is practiced not just in Europe but also in other parts of the world. People attend theater performances where the music is replayed from reconstructed or new compositions and performances. Although Beethoven and Ludwig may not have the same level of significance culturally as the likes of Shakespeare, they have some significant impact in the composition and performances of the classical canons. They set the standard against which most of the preserved canons would be based on, raising the standards of the music industry at the time and even today, such as Mozart (Rice p.241).
‘Some, Beethoven's particular friends, assert that it is just this symphony which is his masterpiece, that this is the true style for high class music, and that if it does not please now, it is because the public is not cultured enough, artistically, to grasp all these lofty beauties; after a few thousand years have passed it will not fail of its effect.’ (Books p.328)
The impact of their music would come to have significant impact in the classics and even the music of today. They set the stage upon which the glamour of music performance would gain the significance it required to become an art (McVeigh p.60).
More importantly is the impact that the musical museums had given the fact that they revolutionized the music industry especially with reference to canonizing the classical music. This was an idea that can be traced back to the 1800s with the brilliance of Franz Liszt. He had found the perfect way to treat the temporary art of music more like true art. He would in the year 1835, declare that, all the musicians of social...