Barenboim’s lament: culture is absent from centre of public discourse

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Published: 30 November 2017

Last updated: 4 March 2024

AS THE CONDUCTOR celebrated his 75th birthday recently, the Israeli establishment preferred to ignore the Argentine-Israeli maestro. He's unconcerned by that, but is worried about the lack of musical education everywhere.

“Musical education is disappearing, even in Germany – and certainly in the United States, which is less aware of music.” He believes this has had far-reaching ramifications in the world, even stretching to Britons voting to leave the European Union last year.

“I think that this occurrence stems from the fact that culture is absent from the centre of the public discourse,” Barenboim says.

“People define their identity, their values and their politics according to economic components. They recognise the Euro zone as an economic phenomenon. The Bush administration, meanwhile, once defined liberty as the freedom to buy and sell as you wish.”

FULL STORY The rest of the world loves him, but Israel refuses to change its tune on Daniel Barenboim (Haaretz)

Photo: Daniel Barenboim at the State Opera House in Berlin, September 2017. (Axel Schmidt/Reuters)