We all know the tale from the classic book “Arabian Nights”: Aladdin discovers a magical oil lamp, from which a powerful genie emerges to grant him extraordinary wealth, a beautiful princess bride, and a fabulous palace for them to live in.
But what if the genius was, well, a classical music connoisseur? What if he said, “Sorry, Al, I only grant musical wishes. What’ll they be?”
Would Aladdin wish for virtuoso skill on an instrument, embarking on a worldwide career of fame and fortune? Or perhaps he would wish for legendary talent as a composer, ensuring statues are erected of him and books are written about him for all eternity? Maybe he would even think outside himself, wishing for longer lives for Mozart, Schubert, Gershwin, and other musicians taken too soon.
If IntoClassical had three musical wishes, we know what they’d be:
- We wish that every orchestra and opera company is suddenly flush with cash and its endowment is bursting with new millions. No musical arts organization will ever again face a financial crisis.
- We wish that Mahler lived an additional 25 years, finishing his Tenth Symphony and composing an opera and a concerto. Just imagine if the incredible power of his “Resurrection” symphony were composed on the multimedia scale of Wagner’s “Ring.”
- We wish that classical music can never be used for harm. Bruckner and Wagner can’t be misappropriated by evil regimes. Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” can’t be exploited by would-be autocrats.
What about you — if you were granted three musical wishes, what would they be?
