Deutsche Grammophon's Recomposed Series and the Future of Classical Music

The article uses the fictional character Hans, inspired by Thomas Mann's Hans Castorp, to explore the challenges faced by traditional classical music listeners in the digital age. Hans, a devoted collector of Deutsche Grammophon recordings, relies on the label's catalog to distinguish between 'dangerous' and 'harmless' music. He purchased the 20C-Greatest Composers of the 20th Century series in 2012, which led him to appreciate Varèse and Berio but not Stockhausen or Reich. However, the label's Recomposed series, launched in 2008, presents works that Hans finds unclassifiable. This series allows electronic musicians to rework classical pieces, such as Max Richter's recomposition of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The article suggests that contemporary classical music has become subservient to film scores, with composers like Richter and Jóhann Jóhannsson moving from cult labels to mainstream film work. Hans resists this trend, fearing that the future of classical music is tied to cinema. The piece reflects on the tension between tradition and innovation in classical music, questioning whether the genre is accessible to all.