Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer
[color]Citation needed[/COLOR][/B]. Given the ease with which current technologies allow people to produce music, the increased population of the earth and the fact that the world economy has increased, are you honestly saying that their are fewer people making music today than in 1912? Really? Really?!
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I don't know how many people worked as professional musicians in 1912 as opposed to now. However, it is almost certainly the case that fewer people are actually making music today. This is a fairly well-studied phenomenon in music history; it's sometimes referred to as "the death of amateurism." Prior to recorded music, if you wanted to hear music, you had to play it or someone had to play it for you. Since part of being educated was learning how to read and play music, you didn't necessarily have to hire a professional to play at your party, or at your house. (Although you probably did have to buy the sheet music.) If you wanted to hear a symphony, you would buy a version transcribed for the piano and play it (or have your spouse do so).
With recorded music, you suddenly didn't need 12 years of piano lessons and sheet music to hear music; you just bought the recording. This also made music more available to people who weren't educated, of course.
(This is studied in music history because it affected the audiences for classical music - if most of your audience are amateur musicians, they will "get" certain things that people without musical training might miss. Sort of like watching the Simpsons or Family Guy if you don't understand any of the cultural references).
WRT professional musicians, it is possible that their numbers increased due to the popularity of recorded music, at least up to a point. It was hard to put even a trio in an elevator...but with recorded music, it can be played 24/7.