Composers Forum is a daily web log that allows invited contemporary composers to share their thoughts and ideas on any topic that interests them--from the ethereal, like how new music gets created, music history, theory, performance, other composers, alive or dead, to the mundane, like getting works played and recorded and the joys of teaching. If you're a professional composer and would like to participate, send us an e-mail.
Record companies, artists and publicists are invited to submit CDs to be considered for review. Send to: Jerry Bowles, Editor, Sequenza 21, 340 W. 57th Street, 12B, New York, NY 10019
Brian Sacawa had a post several days ago that I've been meaning to flag because it raises some important issues about the future of contemporary music and the major classical music labels. Brian's take on the new Sony BMG Masterworks label is that the emphasis is going to be on "Masterworks" and that "Contemporary music will have to be happy being marginalized, for the most part, to the internet ghetto." This raises a number of questions, not least of which, is: is the internet good news or bad news for contemporary composers? Is it a ghetto or Brentwood? How can the cheaper economics of digital production be leveraged in a way that provides some income to living composers? How do internet "radio" stations like Kyle Gann's Postclassic fit into the picture? Or is there a way to "monetize" (as the accountants like to say)adventuresome internet radio so that composers and performer get more than good will out of it? What about the new satellite channels? What about contemporary classical record labels that distribute digitally on demand? Other than ECM, which basically sells black and white photographs with sometimes interesting music inside, the majors are dead. Who has some ideas or a plan of action?
posted by Jerry Bowles
8:13 PM
