Large Scale Forms and the Internet

The capacity to comprehend large-scale structures is one of the attributes that make us uniquely human, and that capacity is reflected in our greatest art-works.  When we view a painting, the structure of the whole work can be perceived at a glance, and similarly for a sculpture, more or less.  Much of the wondrous form of a great architectural edifice can also be assimilated from a single visual perspective, even though we cannot see all sides of the building at once, or view the exterior and interior simultaneously.

More problematic — especially in our fast-paced, Internet-driven culture where we demand eye-catching visual images and instant answers — are works of art that unfold over time, such as novels, dramas, films, and works of music.  In order to become a bestseller nowadays, a novel must grab our attention from the first page, and traditional literary virtues such as character development and well-developed plot receive short shrift.  In an environment where we judge videos by what we see in the first few minutes, how much success would be achieved by a two-hour film such as Citizen Kane, where the identity of “Rosebud” (which is the interpretative key to the whole film) is revealed only in the final seconds?

The large-scale structures of classical music are especially at odds with this culture.  Classical music is not like wallpaper.  No sixty-second sample is representative of the whole, even in a single-movement work.  And if we do not take the time to listen even to the entirety of a single movement, how can we possibly appreciate the intertwining connections among the multiple movements of a symphony or sonata?

Just imagine Beethoven trying to cope with this contemporary world.  Here a fan converses with him via Facebook Messenger…

Some observers have expressed fears about the long-term effect on the human brain of our constant immersion in an online, instant-gratification-based environment.  I share this concern and would suggest classical music as a much-needed antidote. But when we are sharing such music through social media, it is essential to convey this point to listeners:  The value of a piece of great music is revealed, not in the first thirty seconds, but only when the work has been heard as a whole.