Imperial Orchestra and classical music

Abstract

Classical academic music, which originated in Western Europe in the 17th and 19th centuries and developed within the framework of the ideas of Enlightenment, Classicism and Romanticism, is traditionally regarded as an example of high art based on strict form and deep content. In the context of the spread of digital media and changing ways of consuming culture, it is important to understand how the classical music tradition is developing. The Imperial Orchestra project, which positions itself as a combination of classical and modern media formats, is an interesting example that makes us think about the influence of modern formats on traditional ways of performing and perceiving classical music. The question arises, is the activity of this collective really a reflection of changing cultural values, or is it just an external imitation that has no genuine value for classical music in the new cultural conditions? The proposed analysis of the Imperial Orchestra allows us to put forward the thesis that this project goes beyond the understanding of the symphony orchestra that has been established since the time of Viennese classicism, positioning itself as an innovative musical project striving to reconfigure the paradigm of symphonic performance in the context of digital culture and new models of cultural consumption. Based on information from open sources, including the official website and social networks of the Imperial Orchestra, this study aims to form a primary conceptual description of this phenomenon and to identify how the Imperial Orchestra, as a representative example of transformational processes in academic music under the influence of digitalization, meets the demands of the new cultural environment, while preserving the essential characteristics of classical art, and what an impact it has on the modern musical environment.