Is a symphony creative art or copying?
I love classical music, and listen for hours at a time. This post isn’t meant to insult, but rather to question traditional thought.
Bach, Beethoven and Chopin were undoubtedly brilliant artists, but when I sit at the piano to play one of their movements, am I not a robot copying their creation? It’s similar to reading a chapter of Hemmingway to an audience, right? I’m repeating, not creating. Sobering thought for those who spend years and thousands to perfect copying.
Is the art in writing new music and new lyrics? Is the art in creating a unique presentation, Conductor?
This idea doesn’t diminish my enjoyment of music. At one point in time there was an artist who created the masterpiece. Maybe symphonies are better considered as memories…
