Introduction: On the Economics of Music and the Finances of Great Composers

Although cultural economics has only very recently become a discipline of its own, questions as whether artistic performances could be really considered commodities have puzzled economists since long. This Introductory study reviews music throughout the History of Economic Thought, showing that—quite unexpectedly—it has been dealt with by authors of nearly all major schools of thought. It then analyses the evolution of the market for music from the seventeenth to the twentieth century, taking into account economic, political, sociological and technological changes. In addition, it briefly summarises the debates about whether or not arts—and music specifically—should be sponsored by governments. The Introduction ends with an overview of the chapters that make up the book, which studies the most famous composers’ finances from Bach and Händel to Falla and Stravinsky.