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Re Frahms, I do feel like that whole quasi-genre should never have been branded neo- or anything-classical. I don't think anyone called Harold Budd [neo-|post-|anything-]classical.

I don't think it's snobbery, exactly, to object to pretty melodies and left-hand broken chords being put in the same basket as Chopin et al, especially when there's so much painfully derivative slop that comes under that banner (the imitation-of-an-imitation is something I've heard talked about a lot by artists inside or at least peripheral to the genre, like Hauschka, Nils, Soph and others).

On the other hand, the best of it can be transcendent whatever genre tag is applied.

And 100% the influence of streaming algorithms and streaming's influence on how people listen plays a big role, but it can't be easily separated from the puzzle of such music's status alongside classical composition. Your Longform Editions demands a different kind of listening to "relaxing piano" Spotify playlists of course!

Now I've come back to this comment and I'm not sure I've added anything of note. Meh?

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Thanks Peter, I was more interested in the way streaming platform infrastructures have rewired the conversation around music and listening and how their sense of connectivity between forms is somewhat of a ruse. This could apply in so many ways, yet it solidly struck me in this article.

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