Juozas Rimas initiated this thread by relating how the 'major' record
companies for classical music are retrenching or even about to disappear
from the classical category.  I can see where this theme is going.  First,
Sterling talks about the death of classical music.  Subsequently, we can
look at the classical recording market, note the trends from the Majors,
and find good evidence that death is upon us.  Or is it?

I have two primary reasons for not being concerned.  First, we need to stop
thinking of the traditional Majors as being major any longer.  If you leave
aside the endless deleting and reissuing of inventory, the Majors don't put
out as much classical product as the likes of Hyperion and CPO.  These
*other* companies are now our major ones, and it's about time to stop being
concerned with what Philips, DG, Sony, and the others of their ilk are up
to.  What was major is now minor unless your buying regimen is based on
reissues and cameo discs.  And keep in mind that there is a limit to the
back inventory of the big companies, although they can certainly continue
to keep reissuing what they've already reissued in the past if that turns
you on.

Second, in the long run, the classical record market finds its appropriate
level based on effective consumer demand; that means putting out the money
for recordings, not having a desire to buy some.  No matter what some
companies are doing which seem negative to our interests, their activities
will have little or no impact on us.  The market will sort it all out.
Of course, if the Bach enthusiasts who continue to put down the record
listening experience and buy few recordings would change their ways, the
future would be absolutely rosy.

It's not a live concert vs.  recording battle with limited resources being
siphoned from one to prop up the other.  They both go hand in hand and
feed off one another.  Recently, I reported on an Angela Hewitt recital
I attended.  One thing I don't recall mentioning is that large stacks of
Bach/Hewitt CD's were being sold in the lobby.  They were selling as if
there was no tomorrow.  I feel very good about the future of classical
recordings, and I'll just keep buying them up and attending a concert now
and then.  The main item to note is that when you buy a disc, the 'concert'
market is enhanced and vice versa.

The assumptions that some classical music enthusiasts make just amaze me.
The choices of recordings we have available for our enlightenment is better
than ever as are the choices for concerts.  Yet, I continue to hear the
same refrain from various sources:  modernist music is killing everything,
performing artists aren't what they used to be, crass commercialism
combined with quick-fix profits will savage the industry, conspiracies
among those in power will ruin our beloved classical music, and the
population's addiction to fast and mindless pleasure is a condition that
classical music can not absorb.  The sky isn't falling; it's only adjusting
its horizons.  And please don't say that Government can help us out(except
for adhering to anti-trust laws).  Did you ever spend time in a Federal
building in the trenches where music is piped in? - it's all Muzak.  That's
largely what Government will give us with some token promotion of high art.

Don Satz
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