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Classical Music Crisis

Robert talks to Edward Rothstein, cultural critic at large for the New York Times, about the decreasing popularity of classical music over the last twenty years. The heart of the classical music repertoire, Rothstein says, was created and popularized in the 19th century, and reflected great themes and grand mythic adventures of the times. Today, movies and popular music are more effective in describing current issues and conflicts than classical music, which plays a minor and diminishing role in the culture.

Copyright 1997 NPR

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