Today there is nowhere one can go, it seems, without the constant presence of bad music. It’s everywhere—in every bar, restaurant, and department store; on every television commercial, online video, or Hollywood film. Wherever we go, we are relentlessly besieged by some of the cheapest, most idiotic music mankind has ever devised. Thus, as I battle this daily onslaught of inescapable cacophony, I often find myself wondering: when did music get so bad?
“The Star-Spangled Banner” has played at countless ball games, political events, and, for those old enough to remember, network sign-offs. It has provided the soundtrack for many teary-eyed moments in our nation’s history, from Olympic victories to Presidential inaugurations. But does it really deserve to be our national anthem?
Alan Gilbert, who has led the New York Philharmonic since 2009, will conduct his final New York performances as the orchestra’s music director with this week’s Concerts in the Parks, June 13th through 16th, plus an indoor concert in Staten Island on June 18th.
ArtsComment 