”ÖPPNA DÖRRARNA, SÄNK TRÖSKLARNA, SKAPA RELEVANS” Debatt om konstmusikens ställning och relevans i dagens samhälle

Abstract

For a long time the status of western art music in Swedish music life has been discussed, recently at two Rikstings 2016 and 2017 arranged by representatives for the field of western art music with the aim of strengthening this status. By using a discourse-analytical perspective as a starting point, this article aims to analyse and describe the debate followed in Swedish daily press after these Rikstings. Only voices from the field of art music have participated in the debate. The analysis shows that the debaters attach great importance and value to this music form historically as well as today. The western art music is said to be an important part of our society´s intellectual and emotional capital and an immaterial cultural heritage. The construction of this status is related to the idea of the music as a resource for social and individual development but also as a constructional tool for music creation and performance. The debaters express an idea of marginalisation of the art music with reference to a weakening of its place in music education and in mass medial reporting. Contributions to the debate illustrates also an idea of the ”antiquated charactere” of the western art music as one ground for the marginalisation – an antiquated value system and canon building, elitism, exclusivity, virtuosity, and rules for performance and listening behaviours.