bigideas

Everybody knows something about classical music, which was made by great composers like Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms. But are there any classical composers alive today? Are they as good as those famous names from past centuries, or do they just make obscure, incomprehensible sounds? Did the classical tradition end after the 19th century?

Rich Cochrane, armed with musical examples originating from around the world, down the centuries and across cultural divides, and a PhD in musical aesthetics, will use these ideas as a springboard for asking some fundamental questions about music. What is it? What’s it for? How can you tell whether it’s any good? What is a “classical” tradition anyway? We’ll meet upstairs at The Wheatsheaf in London on 25 March, 7.30 onwards. Admission is free and open to all.