Autotune scandals, controversies about artists selling-out, disagreements over the “right” way to play Beethoven: if these tell you one thing, it’s that we expect artists to be authentic. But how do you judge authenticity? 

In this episode, we ask: what does it mean to be “for real” in the classical music world?

We explore why, for more than a century, commercial success and artistic integrity have often been considered mutually exclusive. We ask if the kind of person someone is should affect whether and how we listen to their music. And we discuss why we both love and hate celebrities disappointing us.

From Bernstein's archive, we meet a listener who is enchanted by Bernstein, another who is disbelieving, and a couple more wondering about the man behind the music.

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Visit www.dearmaestro.org for bonus content, including letters read-out and discussed by their writers.

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Producers: Rowan Bishop and Kate Guthrie

Hosts: Flora Willson and Kate Guthrie

With thanks to: Cheryl Melody Baskin, Michael Ellison, Cassandra Fenton, Mark Keedwell, Melanie Shaffer, Karen Skinazi, Chuck Talley and Justin Williams.

Funded by: the Arts and Humanities Research Council.