Introduction
It is no secret that there are many types of patronage. However, each fulfills a common goal: providing gratuitous financial assistance and support. Patronage was not an episode and the activity of a few educated capitalists since it covered various areas, including music. Due to such a “sponsorship” of musicians, talented artists became what they became, and music performance was able to move on, continuously developing and improving. Patronage is a critical historical phenomenon that has determined music’s stability, security, and evolution as a significant art form for humanity.
Analysis
Music is an integral part of people’s lives and has a rich history of various events. With the help of patronage in the past, many new styles, trends, and genres appeared in music, and some musical instruments also began to develop. In this sense, an artist has “risen,” moving to a new social and cultural significance level. The end of the sixteenth century became one of the most critical moments in history due to the expansion of the sources of income of composers from churches and courts, as well as wealthy lovers of music (Boumpani & Carteret, 2020). For example, Joseph II, before 1750, by freeing the peasants and suppressing the church authorities, helped attract creators to Vienna, where they could freely create (Boumpani & Carteret, 2020). Accordingly, if not for this event from the point of view of patronage in music, the world would not have been able to learn about Mozart, Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven.
The phrase “patron of the arts” does not lose relevance over time since working under the patronage of a musician gives a roof over their head and a full stomach. In general, due to patronage in the past, almost any modern person has the opportunity to “touch the beautiful” without restrictions. Thus, aspiring musicians are not afraid to express themselves, and their work will be paid in full with due diligence. Music lovers-listeners can have broad access to a diverse audio library from almost anywhere in the world. Accordingly, based on later examples after 1750, it should be noted that in the second half of the twentieth century, the art of music became more advanced and innovative, actively spreading to the masses due to the type of “patronage” as the conclusion of contracts with particular companies (Breckenridge, 2018). Hence, from now on, an influential person and an ordinary citizen can support musical performers “with a coin” by using special services to listen to music online.
Conclusion
Summarizing the above information, it should be stated that patronage has played a crucial role in the development and improvement of music, covering a vast part of the world’s population. The world has seen thousands of great patrons and philanthropists without whose help cultural figures would not have created masterpieces. Thus, the support of church ministers, bailiffs, and rich, influential people allowed one to promote and elevate music to a new level while providing many musicians financially to create and delight people’s ears. Nonetheless, music and such assistance have been “re-transformed” over time, and the music industry has become technologically advanced and progressive. Accordingly, in the past, there were a few genuine musicians, and people could mostly enjoy their creativity by going to concert halls. However, the situation has changed because today, there are several thousand musical artists whose music can be heard not only live but also online.
References
Boumpani, N.M. & Carteret, J.X. (2020). Music and the human experience. Affordable Learning Georgia. Web.
Breckenridge, G. (2018). Patronage: Past, present, and future (part 1 of 3). Medium. Web.