The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: What kinds of classical music and classical composers do the presidential candidates like?

ALERT: This Sunday night’s concert of new music for woodwinds and piano composed by UW-Madison professor of saxophone Les Thimmig, with UW-Madison pianist Jessica Johnson, has been CANCELLED.

By Jacob Stockinger

Tonight is the last debate for the Republicans before the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday. It takes place at 7 p.m. CST in Manchester, and will be broadcast on ABC-TV.

This past week also saw both a town hall meeting and a debate between the Democrats – their last before the primary election (below, in a photo by Getty Images).

Here’s a question no one has asked them during the debates: What kind of classical music do you like?

I know, I know. The question has little relevance and little popularity.

But still.

The Ear is happy that the famed New York City radio station WQXR listed such preferences in its blog.

The Ear notes a couple of trends.

No specific pieces were named.

No sonatas or concertos, no symphonies or operas.

All the names of composers were extremely mainstream except for Arcangelo Corelli by Dr. Ben Carson (below), who also named Johann Sebastian Bach and Antonio Vivaldi. Others mentioned Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Dr. Benjamin Carson, director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, speaks to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, March 16, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (UNITED STATES – Tags: POLITICS HEALTH)

Bernie Sanders’ preferred composer echoes his own populist and defiantly anti-establishment, even rabble-rousing, sentiments. Can you guess which composer he favors?

Why is The Ear not surprised that Hillary Clinton remains vague about composers and pieces, but says YES of course she likes classical music and even has it on her iPod.

And former businesswoman Carly Fiorina (below, in a  photo by Politifact) surprises one with her youthful plan to be a professional musician, a concert pianist. Does she still play? The Ear wants to ask.

The Ear also wonders:

Does Evangelical Ted Cruz consider classical music frivolous or even sinful?

Does the Cuban background of Marco Rubio feel ethnically distant from European classical music?

And what about Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, John Kasich and especially Donald Trump?

The Ear bets that country music, rock and pop music draw many more voters and gets many more votes.

But doesn’t anyone else think that the irresistible opening thee of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony would be a great dramatic call to arms for a candidate?

But who knows for sure?

Anyway, here is a link tot he WQXR story:

http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/classical-music-presidential-campaign-trail/

Now, The Ear doesn’t expect that this survey will change anyone’s vote.

Still, it is interesting as a sidelight to the much bigger and much more important issues confronting the candidates and the electorate.

And perhaps more specifics about their taste in music will emerge during the rest of the primary campaign and the then the general election.

Their individual culture quotients must matter for something.

What are your reactions?

What do you think?

Let us know.

The Ear wants to hear.