The Well-Tempered Ear

Do classical music streaming services have too many flaws?

PLEASE HELP THE EAR. IF YOU LIKE A CERTAIN BLOG POST, SPREAD THE WORD. FORWARD A LINK TO IT OR, SHARE IT or TAG IT (not just “Like” it) ON FACEBOOK. Performers can use the extra exposure to draw potential audience members to an event. And you might even attract new readers and subscribers to the blog.

By Jacob Stockinger

Are classical music streaming services a good development and a good deal? A good way to listen to classical music? Recommended for listeners and performers?

Not according to Alex Ross (below).

But then his standards may not be yours.

Ross is the prize-winning music critic for The New Yorker magazine. He may be the most respected and familiar name in classical music criticism in the U.S., perhaps even the world.

Ross has been undertaking a pretty exhaustive comparison of various classical music streaming services such as Apple Music and Apple Music Classical; Idagio; Spotify; Presto Music; and Qobuz.

While he finds some things to praise, and finds some improvements have been made, he also finds that all of the services come up short and distort the listening experience. (Illustration for The New Yorker by Lan Truong.)

Of course, one might argue that a professional critic makes different demands and has more specific, rarified needs than most classic music fans.

He is more mainstream and convincing with his disapproving comments about the way such streaming services cheat performers out of earning a livelihood.

The Ear also wondered if Ross would consider serving as an advisor or consultant to Apple Music or any off the other classical streaming services.

Decide for yourself.

Here is a link to Alex Ross’ comparative report: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/apple-again-fails-to-save-classical-music

Do you use a classical music streaming service?

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with it?

Why?

How could it improve?

The Ear wants to hear.