The Relationship of Music and Money in the Classical Era
“Believe me, my sole purpose is to make as much money as possible; for after good health it is the best thing to have.” - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The relationship of music and money has always been an interesting thing to contemplate. For centuries, musicians have struggled to get by, which is the reason for the present day stereotype of musicians being poor. In Medieval times, music was commonly performed only in churches and royal courts, so the musicians of the time were largely church workers and servants of royalty. These people depended on other people for their own survival, and there was no actual money to make in music. The same was true throughout the Renaissance and into the Baroque era as well. Bach served the church, but Handel tried his hand at making a living through writing operas before returning to serving royalty. Into the classical era, however, things changed. Before, concerts were an event that occurred at parties, dances, and other events put on by th...