Tag: Berlin Philharmonic

Essays

Symphony of a Dozen: Classical Music in a Post-COVID World

by Kevin McBrien2 Comments on Symphony of a Dozen: Classical Music in a Post-COVID World

Near the end of John Mulaney’s 2019 Netflix special John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch, the character “Mr. Music” (a fabulously-dressed Jake Gyllenhaal) bursts through the door, kicks over a flower pot, and proclaims, “Hey! It’s me, Sack Lunch Bunch—Mr. Music!” What follows is one of my favorite streaming-platform moments from last year (tied with Baby Yoda, of course). Perhaps it’s better viewed than explained…

If there were an official mascot of 2020, the coronavirus would obviously take first place, but an unhinged Mr. Music could easily be a close runner-up. He is the year in a nutshell—at least, so far—someone who simply wants to live their life but is met with failure and disappointment at every corner. (Though, the realities of the year have been way less hilarious than Jake Gyllenhaal waiting for a toilet bowl to refill.) Or perhaps we are all Mr. Music, just trying our best in these insanely difficult times.

Mr. Music trying his best

OK, so what’s the purpose of this hot take, besides an excuse to talk about John Mulaney? (I mean, it is.) Well, there’s a small, but eerie piece of foreshadowing in this sketch. Towards the beginning, as Mr. Music begins explaining to the Sack Lunch Bunch that music can be found everywhere (a very John Cagean concept if you ask me), he suddenly cries, “Follow me… but also give me space!” What was probably a brilliant, off-handed improv on Gyllenhaal’s part could unintentionally be a motto for the future. As soon as a successful vaccine for COVID-19 is released, we’ll all be enthusiastic and raring to get back out there. To embrace our friends and family. To go out in public without masks. To get back to life. BUT—we will still have to be careful for a time until this deadly virus is eradicated completely.

Once we reach what I’ll call the “cautious normalcy” of the post-COVID era, some facets of society will face more significant challenges than others. For our purposes here, the question must be asked: what will classical music look like in a post-COVID world? What will live music look like in general? Will it even be possible anymore?

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Playlists

Music for a Weary World

by Kevin McBrienLeave a Comment on Music for a Weary World

Let’s face it, the world is a scary place right now. Countless public places—schools, theme parks, theaters, churches—have shut their doors. The economy teeters dangerously on the brink of collapse. People are panic buying everything from canned goods to hand sanitizer. (If you are one of those people panic buying toilet paper, stop it!!) The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted billions of lives and spurred a persistent sense of dread, thanks in no small part to the endless deluge of news and information (and misinformation) on TV and social media.

The classical music world has also been deeply affected by this pandemic. Organizations around the globe have canceled concerts, operas, tours, festivals, and other events, many of which took years to plan. However, there are glimmers of hope and generosity everywhere. Some orchestras and opera houses are rebroadcasting recent performances (Seattle Symphony, Metropolitan Opera). Others have performed concerts to empty halls, live-streaming them on social media or other platforms (Philadelphia Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic). To top it all off, the Berlin Philharmonic is offering free, 30-day access to its incredible Digital Concert Hall. (Check it out—it’s 100% worth it.) It’s clear that classical music—indeed, music as a whole—will continue to be a source of life, comfort, and unity through these uncertain times. Maybe this (hopefully) short void of live music will even inspire new audiences and spark a revitalization of the art form, coaxing it from its still all-too-stuffy confines and into a larger world. Wishful thinking perhaps, but who knows?

To help combat the anxieties of this pandemic, I have curated a 5-hour (!) Spotify playlist filled with some of my favorite choral works, chamber pieces, concerto movements, and more. Though I am a staunch believer that classical music is so much more than just “nice chill-out music,” this is music that, to me, exudes peace, composure, and reverence (with a few lighter selections thrown in for good measure). May this be a small, but welcome antidote for our crazy world, and may we come out of this a little stronger, a little kinder, and a little more grateful than before.