How the Internet Has Ushered in a New Era for Classical Music, According to Leon Botstein

Many believe the rise of the Internet has contributed to the demise of the music industry. Though there has been a decrease in CD sales, how has the Internet affected classical music? According to Leon Botstein, music director of the American Symphony Orchestra, the Internet has ushered in a new era for classical music.

Botstein says in a recent Gramophone blog post that as an individual artist it is hard to make money from producing a CD, but the age of digital is presenting a great opportunity for music. Each recording has the ability to become a part of an easily accessible library. Just by concentrating on putting recordings online, Botstein says that the American Symphony Orchestra has cumulatively sold more than 250,000 downloads and are now available for streaming.

Though online sales might not be more commercially favorable than CDs, the accessibility helps to add to the mission of philosophy of an artist. This is also helpful when it comes to people seeing live music. Since the Internet gives people access to recorded material, it helps newcomers and even longstanding fans familiarize themselves with the works before viewing the show live. It also opens the doors for a more spontaneous viewing experience. When you put up a live performance, it shows everything — all the imperfections and changes.

Instead of this being viewed as a mistake that needs fixing, it captures the true essence of a live performance with all its blemishes and impromptu layers.

These incredible aspects are not just for the classical music lover but for the teacher and student as well. The recordings become an invaluable educational and reference tool. The educator has the option to access as many different works as they would like without going broke in the process. Many works that were considered not bankable enough to record can now be seen using a multitude of different websites or apps.

Though the new age of the Internet may not be the most financially secure situation, for the music lover it has given us the chance to experience music in a way we never have before.