Condition of Contemporary Classical Music
In Contemporary Classical Music, new and novel styles of presentation have come into existence. The nonconformists must gradually suffer extinction from the concert stage though thankfully not from the Radio and Doordarshan where the mood and demands of the audience are automatically relegated to the background and the artist can come to his own.
Contemporary Classical Music has gained the features of business. There are promoters, and impresarios and the status of performers of Modern Classical Music is directly linked to the fees offered to them. High fees have had a nasty effect on music and the lesser artists are just not called up. Smaller music circles just cannot engage the Star Artists for financial reasons. With the Star system now firmly entrenched, one can only guess what the future of our music will be like.
Contemporary ClassicalMusic is sought to be popularized. Every art or craft is not for everyone. Music, by its inner impulses, will have to be an elitist activity and its excessive popularization cannot, but lead to its dilution.
One question which disturbs every artist and every lover of Contempory music is why is there a total disinclination to openly support and promote artists and the up and coming musicians presenting authentic classical music? Surely there is no shortage of money with the advertisers, corporate bodies and large donors in the field. There is clearly no desire’ urge or anxiety to patronize authentic music. What a situation have we landed ourselves in where every artist, good bad or indifferent, must find some promoter or godfather or renounce neutrality and musical integrity by joining one or the other of the groups which hold the key to classical musical success?