In 1700, most composers were employees of noble courts or the
church. But by the nineteenth century, Chopin, Schumann, Brahms,
Verdi, and many others functioned as freelance artists teaching,
performing, and selling their compositions in the private
marketplace. While some believe that Mozart's career marks a clean
break between these two periods, this book tells the story of a
more complex and interesting transition.
F. M. Scherer first examines the political, intellectual, and
economic roots of the shift from patronage to a freelance market.
He describes the eighteenth-century cultural "arms race" among
noble courts, the spread of private concert halls and opera houses,
the increasing attendance of middle-class music lovers, and the
founding of conservatories. He analyzes changing trends in how
composers acquired their skills and earned their living, examining
such impacts as demographic developments and new modes of
transportation. The book offers insight into the diversity of
composers' economic aspirations, the strategies through which they
pursued success, the burgeoning music publishing industry, and the
emergence of copyright protection. Scherer concludes by drawing
some parallels to the economic state of music composition in our
own times.
Written by a leading economist with an unusually broad knowledge
of music, this fascinating account is directed toward individuals
intrigued by the world of classical composers as well as those
interested in economic history or the role of money in art.
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