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Ethics and Future Generations. The Transmission of Classical Music Heritage
Palazzolo, Chiara
2025
Abstract
The article addresses the decline in classical music audiences, particularly among younger gen-erations, and proposes strategies for its revival. Despite a global decrease in listenership, classical music remains an intangible cultural heritage of immense significance, whose preservation con-stitutes a moral duty. Ensuring its transmission to future generations demands a nuanced balance between conservation and innovation. The first section considers three key aspects: (1) UNESCO’s 2003 Convention (2018a) recognizes music as an essential component of cultural heritage that requires protection; (2) classical music shapes cultural identity through notation and tradition, underscoring the need to safeguard both its texts and modes of transmission; (3) ac-cording to Samuel Scheffler (2010), it is future generations that confer meaning upon present practices, making the transmission of classical music both a duty to the past and a responsibility toward the future. The second section examines the role of the music industry in sustaining clas-sical music. The article argues that its decline is not inevitable, but rather a challenge that can be met through collective responsibility, with audience development and innovation playing a crucial role in securing its future.
Source
Chiara Palazzolo, "Ethics and Future Generations. The Transmission of Classical Music Heritage" in: "Etica & Politica / Ethics & Politics (2025) XXVII/1", EUT Edizioni Università di Trieste, Trieste, 2025, pp. 185-204
Languages
en
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
File(s)