Post-genre thinking seeks to move away from objective methods of characterizing music, instead focusing on a more subjective method within which music is viewed piece by piece with an emphasis on the intention and background of the composer. If a composer has no intent of writing within the “classical” genre label, then attempting to understand the piece through a classical lens is irrelevant. But what about the listener? There is no doubt that all listeners have pre-existing connotations surrounding certain types of sounds. Realistically, because we have discussed music in terms of these genre constructions for so long, a listener’s experience is likely to naturally include elements of: “This moment in this piece of music reminds me of X genre, which makes me think of Y connotation.”
Category: music
Why Orchestras Play Behind The Beat
Here’s the simple response: When an orchestra plays behind the conductor, it has the room to produce a more expressive sound. “It works so well because the musicians can take in a great deal more information before they play,” said Falletta. Waiting a tick allows the ensemble to take in the trajectory, speed and style of a conductor’s beat, which helps them determine what kind of sound the conductor is hoping to achieve. “It gives them a chance to prepare that sound. So the downbeat comes, and the sound opens after that.”
José Carreras, The Third Tenor In The Three Tenors’ Juggernaut, Exits The Stage
Carreras was on his way to the heights of opera stardom when he was struck by leukemia – but a comeback concert with friends and fellow tenors Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo turned him into a massive crossover star. Now he’s preparing to sing his final concert at Carnegie Hall.
Cressida Pollock, Who Steered The English National Opera Through Its Troubles, Will Step Down
That righting came at a cost – cutting the number of operas, losing a music director, dealing with a threatened strike by the chorus – but the young executive director leaves the ENO on a much more stable financial footing, with new artistic leadership coming in.
Opera Takes Over Philadelphia – And It’s A Hit
“Opera Philadelphia has been planning this for a couple of years: Now, the O17 festival has begun, turning the city into a giant opera stage for 12 days. The company is striking a huge blow for the idea that arts organizations do better to add new, exciting things than to tread with financial caution. The festival is one of the most enjoyable additions to the fall calendar in years; it’s attracting opera fans from all over; and so far, it looks like a success.”
What London’s Philharmonia Orchestra Learned With Its Virtual Reality Project
“Creatively, VR felt like a natural progression for us, and I believe it’s a fantastic medium for orchestral music. 2D video and stereo audio can struggle to convey the complex dynamics and visceral energy of a live symphony orchestra. This could be why livestreaming orchestral performances to cinemas has not had the widespread success enjoyed by theatre and opera companies. An orchestra just comes across as too flat, with the players at risk of looking detached and remote from the viewer.”
Washington National Opera Lands A Star General Director
It is indeed a major step for Washington; Timothy O’Leary is one of opera’s leading lights. Having taken over in St. Louis when he was only 33, he has led that company — one of America’s best summer festivals — with notable strength, at once building its artistic profile with an interesting array of work and securing its finances.
English National Opera’s ‘Rescue’ CEO To Step Down Early
“The former McKinsey management consultant [Cressida Pollock] took over running of the crisis-hit company in September 2015 after Arts Council England placed it in special measures and demanded the recruitment of a leader who would turn the business around.
How The National Symphony’s New Music Director Got Through What Should Have Been, But Wasn’t, The Busiest Summer Of His Career
“He and his wife called a taxi to get him to his orchestra engagement. But when the taxi pulled up to deliver him to the theater, he couldn’t get out of the car. He had to be taken away by ambulance. ‘You have to be operated on within 72 hours,’ the doctor told him.” Anne Midgette writes about how Gianandrea Noseda coped with an enforced 50-day break due to a herniated disc.
Report: Music Streaming Revenue Is Up 48 Percent In 2017
More than 30 million people are now paying for a subscription streaming service in the U.S., which pushed streaming revenue up 48 percent, to $2.5 billion, in the first half of the year. Streaming now accounts for 62 percent of the U.S. music business.