Research Point: The Decline of Patronage & Music Publication

Research Point: The Decline of Patronage

The OCA course material describes how the social changes of the 18^th century, coupled with the rise in freelance opportunities for musicians greatly diminished the court style of employment.  In addition, my previous studies have revealed that 19^th century saw very dramatic changes in musical audiences, thus giving these freelance musicians the basis on which to earn money and fame. 

However, it could be argued that the decline of one form of patronage made way for another type of employer.  In today’s music market it might be easy to compare the distinct limitations of the 18^th century court contracts with the legally embedded documents signed by 21^st century pop stars.  Both types of contract greatly limit the musician’s ability not just to perform music, but also greatly influence the way they live their lives. 

Research Point:  Music Publication in the 18^th Century

In my previous assignment I spent a great deal of time researching the history of music publishing in the 19^th century.  My research revealed that during the 1800’s, cities such as London, Paris and Leipzig became important musical capitals in terms of the publication of sheet music.  It was during this period that the demand for music meant that many homes now had access to instruments, thus the commercial opportunities were readily available (Sampson, 2001:78).

However, the 18^th century also saw a great time of change in terms of music publication. Rasch (2005:6) writes that before the 1700’s, music publishers did not actively promote their work outside their own region.  However, due to the stylistic changes of the 18^th century, music was becoming more universally acceptable and therefore popular in courts and cities across the continent. In addition, with musical inspiration being shared in innovative cities such as Mannheim and Vienna, famous pieces were being transposed for ensembles and solo instruments.  It was thanks to the technical innovations of the 18^th century that lithography (a printing process) was developed, leading to a clear and cheaper way of manufacturing this music.