Classical music fans....

[IndianaJones]

Why?

But seriously, are there any great composers, similar to Mozart, Beethoven, etc around today? If there are, why no publicity? Is it due to declining popularity? Or did creativity peak centuries ago?

Is Elvis somehow involved?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear IndianaJones!

If there are any great composers like Mozart or Beethoven around today, I'm sure not aware of them...

And it could be due to declining popularity...

Pop, and rock, certainly have made inroads into the classical audience...

There's still plenty of creativity out there...

But I think it's going into different channels...

I dunno...

:shrug:

[IndianaJones]

2. I have wondered the same thing about artists...

Is there a Da Vinci or similar working today that is simply unrecognized? Or did we hit a peak in the Renaissance?

Whats going on?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I very much doubt that we peaked in the Renaissance...

That was a long time ago, after all!

Part of the problem is that there are many people today, more than ever before...

It's harder to see who's talented due to sheer numbers...

Everyone's clamoring for their 15 minutes of fame!

[IndianaJones]

4. perhaps you are right...I think we are due for another Da Vinci...

or Mozart though.

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. Listen to John William's Star Wars soundtrack again.

Ep4, "A New Hope", the first one released.

Also, check out Bernard Hermann's work.

[IndianaJones]

6. not denying that good music is out there...

but will we see a composer of today reach "giant" status?

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. I don't think that our culture treats music as past ones have.

Music is now something you take off of the internet and put on your computer.

In Mozart's time, leaders of countries used music and their favorite musicians to impress other kings. It was a status symbol to have the best composer(s) in your realm.

Then again, Nixon shook hands with Elvis...

[IndianaJones]

10. Point taken. I am not a big classical music fan...

is the original music now as good as that composed by Mozart or Bach?

[kay1864]

7. There's that teenager that was on 60 Minutes

Several critics called him the next Mozart. What I heard sounded excellent--worlds ahead of the avant-garde crap I hear at the symphony.

[mikeytherat]

9. Remember, at the height of "classical" music, it WAS the "pop" music of the day

And the performers were often treated like rock stars (Paganini often had women throwing their "dainties" at him on stage a-la Tom Jones).

mikey_the_rat