The 5th

John Dewey believed that high art was a form off art that
was segregated from mainstream of people and placed into
a museum or classical music to be performed in concert halls
only to be viewed and heard by the notables in society. 1 The
music of Bach, Beethoven and Vivaldi and others was viewed
as high art based upon Deweys definition. Popular art, in
my opinion, is any contemporary art, which is appreciated by
many. What happens when high art collides with popular art?
In m research of artist who modernized classical pieces
I was astonished at the lack of artist who had taken that leap
of bridging the two types of music. I had thought that it
would be a form of music that would be erupting throughout
the world but ask I said, I did not find many artists who had
taken classical and modern to the net level. I did find two
artists who call themselves black violin they have one
music piece called Brandenburg, which is a classical
crossover piece of the original piece which is called Bach:
1 David Boersema, Philosophy of ART: Aesthetic Theory and Practice
(Westview Press 2012) 52.

Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 and

modernized it with electric violins and modern beat.. The song
begins with the original classical piece and then turns into a
modern beat with a modern violin sound helped by using
electric violins for some of the piece. I found this to be a
great way to incorporate classical and modern music into a
piece that is appealing to more of the younger demographic.
I believe black violin took modern even further than David
Garrett has because they strayed a little far from the original
piece by not enhancing it and staying true to the original
piece. I am not saying that I did not enjoy this piece of music
I simply found it to be a bigger gap between the original and
the modernization of the piece.
David Garret, an immensely talented German violinist,
has combined contemporary rock music with the work of
Beethoven, which was once viewed as high art. Together the
two genres of music created an incredible piece of music.
Classical music is already very strong and the beats rhythms
of this generations music are just as strong and when
combined, it is this incredibly powerful musical twist. Garrett

calls his crossover piece The 5th. He has skillfully and

successfully enhanced Beethovens Fifth Symphony and
produced a mind-blowing modern piece of art.
David Garrett received his first violin when he was 4 years
old. He quickly began on his road to stardom, performing all
over the world. Much of his schooling was at Juilliard in New
York City, where his mentor was the wonderful violinist,
Itzack Pearlman. Garrett loved classical music and realized
that he wanted to help young people enjoy classical music as
much as he did. So he began to incorporate rock music into
performances of classical music. There were some music
aficionados who saw this as a brilliant, major success and
others who did not. His dream is to help classical music live
forever, by playing traditional pieces as well as crossover
pieces.

Garrett is described as the David Beckham of the music

world, which is a perfect way to describe the passionate hold
he has on his fans. I really admire his goal of wanting
children of all ages to experience and enjoy classical music.

Not very many musicians have gone as far, enhancing

classical music by incorporating modern instruments and
performance. His work has become a powerful artistic,
professional and commercial success.

I want to focus on is Garretts composition entitled The

Fifth. He uses Beethovens Fifth Symphony as a foundation,
and layers rock music on top, underneath and within the
classical composition, which stunningly enhances the music.
From the moment it begins, the sound is powerful, with
drums and a mixture of stringed instruments, overwhelming
in a positive way. When the original Beethoven reaches a
point where the same bars are repeated, Garrett begins
incorporating electric guitars. The piece begins with a strong
bass and the original strings playing the original classical
piece. The energy is heightened and immidtaely enhanced
by the guitrs that mimic the strings. When the drums come
in the music is complete and the song is an eruption of
sounds that weave and intertwine together creating a very
powerful sound. The ending does not disappoint, it is just as

powerful as the beginning. I think tthat maybe that is where

critics fail to like this piece. The amount of loud sounds is
very strong through out the piece, very one demnsional in
that sense. I personally dont think think piece should have
been made queiter or different in anyway because the power
coming from all the instruments is what gives it its
uniqueness.

When they are first introduced, it seems harsh to hear

amplified sounds with such an old piece of music. But as the
song continues the listener soon notices that the guitars
somehow enhance the music, collaborating with the strings
and creating a contemporary sound, which still remains
classic. At another point in the piece, Garrett digresses
further from the original composition, with more rock in his
adaptation, which adds emotion and electricity to an already
electrifying musical piece. He has done many adaptations of
classic music and they never seem to decrease the beauty of
the original pieces.

I was fortunate enough to attend a David Garrett concert in

Hannover, Connecticut this past year. As I looked around the
theater I was struck by the many different kinds of people
that Garrett has touched with his music. There were young
families, well-tattooed hard core rock and roll types and
many gray-haired elderly folks, generally considered typical
classical music fans. They were all enjoying his music. A
huge part of his ability to capture so many peoples attention
is his love for music. His energy radiates into the audience
making the enture theatre electric with the positive energy
that he sends out. That is one of the magical gifts of
successful crossover music. It exposes new audiences to
genres they are not familiar with, a bonus for listeners and
performers alike.

My question is how does crossover music work? How can

one combine or connect two very distinct types of music
(art) so that it reaches a wider audience? What does this
new music have that can attract listeners across many

generations and make this new piece of art appealing to

such a broad audience?

One review of David Garretts The 5th stated: The 5th is an

arrangement of Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67 by
Ludwig von Beethoven, one of the most overplayed classical
pieces of all time. Garretts arrangement was unfortunately
reminiscent of A Fifth of Beethoven

Personally I have fallen in love with Garretts version of the

5th. And I also still love the original Beethoven
composition, as performed by a full orchestra. It is
completely understandable for someone to have a negative
reaction to his adaptation version because Beethovens Fifth
Symphony is a beloved and classic piece of music. I can
2 The contrapuntist: culture through a musical lens last modified
august 24,2010, http://www.thecontrapuntist.com/2010/08/24/albumreview-rock-symphonies-by-david-garrett/

understand how people might not like this modernized piece

of music it does seem harsh and almost like garrett has
ruined the original piece. I dont know if there will ever come
a time when there is agreement on how to integrate socalled high and low, or popular, art successfully. There may
always be disagreement about whether music should only
stay in its respective century. I believe that one good way
for the human race to grow is by combining musical pieces
(and other forms of art) which bring the past into the present
and the future.
I think that classical music is not as revered by people of my
generation because we have grown up with many different
kinds of music, like rock, techno, contemporary and club
music. By combining classical music and rock music, David
Garrett has developed a great way to attract younger
generations to classical music. I think it would be great if
educators tried incorporating this idea into the classroom.

In my middle school orchestra class we played many wellknown classical pieces. Having grown up hearing and

performing classical music and loving every moment of it, it

is one of my passions. Many of my friends did not grow up
with classical music as I did and so they dont understand or
appreciate it. I think that if teachers expect students to truly
enjoy classical music, perhaps it needs to be taught
differently. Exposing children to contemporary versions of
the pieces, along with the originals, will help the students
appreciate the music and to understand the history of the
piece they are playing. I think teachers can introduce
students to the idea that classical music is not only for older
generations, but is something that can be thoroughly
appreciated by everyone.

I believe that when classical music was all there was and
then modern music began its appearance there was a very
big gap between popular art (music) and high art (music). As
the years have gone by, more musical genres have appeared
and the gap between high and popular art has begun
closing. David Garretts song, The Fifth, is a demonstration of
how both worlds are colliding. I am very lucky to have grown

up with an appreciation of classical music. I grew up listening

to stories that incorporated classical music as a background
track which made me love music so much. I also playing
piano at a very young age and had no real interest in the
modern songs but in the classical pieces. In third grade I
began playing violin which only made me embrace classical
music more. I do not think many children of my age had this
experience I did but I would suggest teaching classical music
to children at younger and younger ages so the appreciation
for classical music stays a big part of society. I think that I
grew up with just the right amount of modern music and
classical music and that is why I am so appreciative to the
music that david garret is composing. As I began talking
about high art I do belive that classical music is a form of
high art but I dont think that it is only meant for high society
anymore. There are free concerts now where everyone can
appricite the music. high art has gain another meainin.
Perhaps when the notables in society in the past gathered in
a concert hall to listen to music it was just for the status in
society. I think that maybe some did not appreciate the

music but were simpy there for the status it gave them. now,
people go to the symphonies to liten to the raw talent and
the music that is a window to the past. Music is a delicate
thing that when worked with appropriately can be molded
into something of great artistry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLj_gMBqHX8