The Culture We Deserve

As we head into our end of the year break, here is a sample of our bonus episode, a discussion of what the last four years of Marvel Cinematic Universe vs Scorsese discourse has really been about -- the pivot from an auteur-focused cinema to corporate movie culture. Hosts Jessa Crispin and Nicolas Rodriguez cover this transition, argue over whether Scorsese cares about women, and why A24 has its own devotional fan culture. The full episode is available at http://theculturewedeserve.substack.com for subscribers only.

Jessa Crispin speaks with two working artists, Philadelphia Orchestra bassoonist Daniel Matsukawa and mezzo-soprano singer Amber Fasquelle, about the sometimes precarious life in music. But there's a missing element: what is the role of the audience member in this ecosystem? Are we all just consumers or do we have other choices?

We tend to think of the art world as being more progressive than the rest of society -- mostly because we confuse libertine with progressive -- but actually it's extremely conservative, especially when it comes to gender. In classical music, the men are geniuses, and the women are support systems or vessels or ornaments. Which is, in part, why Gustav's wife Alma, who certainly was no support system or vessel or ornament, is still reviled by fans of her husband's music today. As we think about breaking down barriers to entry for the canon, so that people other than men might be considered worthy of our attention, do we have to rethink the very concept of genius, and the way that word warps our expectations and responses to art? Host Jessa Crispin talks to opera singer Amber Fasquelle, WTF Bach podcast host Evan Shinners, and professor of music history Marianna Ritchey on her journey to think about what else art could be.

Over the next three episodes, we'll be exploring the state of classical music. Times are fraught! Attendance is down, institutions are broke (and in some cases broken), and scandals involving sexual harassment and racism have destabilized the music culture. On top of that, what do we want with the dusty old white guy music anyway? In this episode, host Jessa Crispin discusses how hard it is right now to get into difficult music as a listener. Using the figure of Gustav Mahler -- overlooked in his time while facing discrimination for being Jewish -- to think about our affinity for music and how one can build it. She talks to critics and scholars to learn what music does for us, and where listeners can go in a time when institutions are closing, music programs in schools are being shut down, and there's an understanding that art is only something for the wealthy. Hosted by Jessa Crispin, produced by Zach Toman. Art by Jen May.

Coming in November 2023: The Culture We Deserve podcast! . Hosted by Jessa Crispin, produced by Zach Toman. http://theculturewedeserve.substack.com