Re: [Harp-L] classical recordings

[Pierre <plavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Robert said:
Soon all "classical" music will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with
an orchestra, and rock will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with a
band, and jazz will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with a band with
a sax, and country will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with a band
with a pedal steel, and blues will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes
with a band and a harp player!!

Sad state of affairs, now that you mention it, I have seen very little 
classical programming on TV over the last few years. Although I guess its 
normal that music dies at some point. For example medieval music is pretty 
well dead. Same may happen to blues, jazz and rock one day.

The problem is that kids buy 75% of CDs so the recording industry goes after 
that market. Once people get a bit older and get tired of the fluff, they 
often stop buying CDs because they don't know what to buy since the radio 
stations all play the same 3 styles.

Between the age of 28 to 45, I only bought about 10 CDs. Imagine, I totally 
missed Stevie Ray Vaughan, how could this happen? When Napster came out I 
downloaded 3GB of music (shame) and realized how much I liked music. Finally 
I was able to find artist I like this way. During this period I was buying 
about 50 CDs a year. Now that Napster is gone, I'm buying about 5-10 CDs a 
year.

Seems to me, the recording industry should make their non-pop music widely 
available (ex: Real Player streams) and I don't mean 20 second clips. 
Honestly, how are 'local' players ever going to get know nationally if their 
music is not heard?

Seems to me north american TV shows are so bad now, it would be easy for the 
recording industry to steal some of the business. Perhaps new development 
such as satellite radio will help at some point.

Hang in there,

Pierre.

























----- Original Message ----- 
From: <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 27, 2005 11:16 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] classical recordings


> Sorry, I have been unable to respond to all the emails about trying to get
> a label to put out "Harmonica America" and classical recording in general.
>
> But classical music as a business is much different from what it was 20 or
> 30 years ago.  First of all, all the Major labels have closed down their
> classical divisions; when I was signed in 1988 to RCA the beginning of the
> end was already started.  They hired a guy whose job it was was to reissue
> old famous recordings from the vaults and therefore stop any new
> recordings by new artists of pieces they already had.
>
> At the same time NPR and PBS moved away from classical music almost
> altogether so now only one in five of the classical music stations that
> were around 30 years ago is still playing classical music and all play
> much less than before.
>
> Without Major labels, major media has move totally away from classical
> music.  Carson and Ed Sullivan had classical acts on all the time; Leno
> and Letterman never do!  Any classical music that gets exposure now must
> be associated with a major movie or TV show.
>
> There are therfore no Rubenstein's or Horowitz's starring anywhere.  If
> Sir Simon Rattle, the Music director for the Berlin Philharmonic, were to
> go on the Today Show and the "Pink" was on the same show, the Today Show
> would be all over "Pink" and not give Maestro Rattle the time of day.  The
> sad thing is that Maestro Rattle couldn't get on the Today Show and the
> classical music business' response to this is "he wouldn't want to" which
> is bull!!
>
> But it is not just classical music, it is intellectual material of any
> kind that does not fit into main stream POP that is being attacked,
> perhaps politically motivated, or just because of money.
>
> Soon all "classical" music will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with
> an orchestra, and rock will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with a
> band, and jazz will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with a band with
> a sax, and country will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes with a band
> with a pedal steel, and blues will be Phil Collins singing Disney themes
> with a band and a harp player!!
>
> Harmonically yours,
>
> Robert Bonfiglio
> http://www.robertbonfiglio.com
>
> PS - I will be playing next weekend with the Peoria Symphony and the
> weekend after that with the Memphis Symphony, so come on out and please
> come up and say hello - I love to meet fellow harmonica players!!
>
>
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