"We do a lot of light classical programming with that, too... obviously... a lot of Tchaikovsky music, Grieg, things like that which have become less classical with classical concerts"
About this Quote
Skitch Henderson speaks from the crossroads of entertainment and the concert hall, a place he knew well as a Tonight Show bandleader and the founding conductor of the New York Pops. Light classical programming is his shorthand for repertoire that sits between symphonic rigor and popular appeal: tuneful, vivid, often narrative pieces that can carry a crowd without presuming specialist knowledge. Citing Tchaikovsky and Grieg, he nods to composers whose most famous works have so saturated public culture that their aura of exclusivity has thinned.
The phrase becomes less classical with classical concerts is a wry paradox. Repeated exposure in symphonic programs, recordings, film scores, and commercials can shift a piece from the pedestal to the living room. The 1812 Overture with cannons, the Waltz of the Flowers, Morning Mood, or In the Hall of the Mountain King are as likely to be recognized by casual listeners as by connoisseurs. Familiarity is not dilution so much as reclassification: the music migrates toward the shared repertoire of a culture. Henderson treats that migration as an opportunity rather than a threat.
There is also a practical wisdom here about programming. A conductor who wants to build audiences mixes reliable favorites with novelties, trusting that memorable melodies and dramatic arcs can be a gateway to deeper listening. Light classical becomes a strategy for hospitality, a way to welcome newcomers without patronizing them. At the same time, Henderson does not imply that ease equals triviality; Tchaikovsky and Grieg survive the spotlight because their craft endures repeated hearing.
The remark reflects the American pops tradition he helped shape, where rigid hierarchies between high and low are less important than connection, energy, and polish. By embracing pieces that straddle categories, he argues for a living classical culture, one that acknowledges the marketplace and the mass media but still upholds the expressive power that brought those works into circulation in the first place.
The phrase becomes less classical with classical concerts is a wry paradox. Repeated exposure in symphonic programs, recordings, film scores, and commercials can shift a piece from the pedestal to the living room. The 1812 Overture with cannons, the Waltz of the Flowers, Morning Mood, or In the Hall of the Mountain King are as likely to be recognized by casual listeners as by connoisseurs. Familiarity is not dilution so much as reclassification: the music migrates toward the shared repertoire of a culture. Henderson treats that migration as an opportunity rather than a threat.
There is also a practical wisdom here about programming. A conductor who wants to build audiences mixes reliable favorites with novelties, trusting that memorable melodies and dramatic arcs can be a gateway to deeper listening. Light classical becomes a strategy for hospitality, a way to welcome newcomers without patronizing them. At the same time, Henderson does not imply that ease equals triviality; Tchaikovsky and Grieg survive the spotlight because their craft endures repeated hearing.
The remark reflects the American pops tradition he helped shape, where rigid hierarchies between high and low are less important than connection, energy, and polish. By embracing pieces that straddle categories, he argues for a living classical culture, one that acknowledges the marketplace and the mass media but still upholds the expressive power that brought those works into circulation in the first place.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
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