The Classical Revolution: Thoughts on New Music in the 21st Century Revised and Expanded Edition

By John Borstlap

"Rich in discussion-worthy arguments … an important contribution to musical aesthetics." — Die Tonkunst
"An excellent and expansive view of where we now are in the larger world of contemporary art music." ― Academic Questions
These essays by a prominent composer offer a thought-provoking exploration of a current trend in classical music. Author John Borstlap advocates a departure from the atonal characteristics typical of modern music and a return to more traditional forms. He notes that new classical composers are increasingly successful in the central performance culture because they offer a fresh approach to the problems that persist in contemporary music, where an establishment with outdated ideas still dominates the production, reception, and funding of new music.
Borstlap's treatise introduces new composers, reveals instances of institutional biases, and examines issues of cultural identity, musical meaning, and the aesthetics of beauty. In order to offer readers the most up-to-date insights, this edition of TheClassical Revolution has been newly revised and expanded by the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Release date: Jun 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9780486823355

John Borstlap

John Borstlap (b. 1950) studied at the Rotterdam Conservatory and has a masters from Cambridge University. His “Violin Concerto” won prizes at the Prince Pierre Competition in Monaco and the Wieniawski Competition in Poznan (Poland). He received commissions from various institutions including the Johan Wagenaar Foundation, the Dutch Government and the Culture Company. His chamber music and symphonic works have been publicly performed and recorded for radio broadcasts by Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de Montpellier, the Kammersymphonie Berlin, the Deutsch-Niederländische Kammerphilharmonie, the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Wiener Kammersymphonie. He is one of three founders of the Composers Group Amsterdam.

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