Enlightenment Influence On Art

“Because of the focus on reason over superstition, the Enlightenment cultivated the arts.” (Beard, 58). The importance on learning more about music and art became a priority, particularly for people that belonged to the middle class. Areas of study such as fine arts, philosophy, literature, and science also became more widespread. Ordinary people as well as previously more segregated professionals somehow felt a connection to this change and could relate themselves. Now that the public was more involved, public concerts became incredibly popular. Musicians had reached a wider audience which lead to bigger incomes. London for example had Handel, who epitomized this with his highly public musical activities. “Even though classical styles were usually regarded as being the most in line with the Enlightenment ideas.” (Beard, 60) Handel became well known there with performances of his operas and oratorios.

This leading text in the late 18th Century provided definitions of words like genius and taste. “Another text influenced by the Enlightenment values was Charles Burney’s A General History of music: form the earliest age to the present period (1776), which was a historical survey and an attempt to rationalize elements in music systematically over time.” (Beard and Gloag, 60). Rose Rosen Gard Subatnik’s views Mozart’s Die Zauberflote as “an ideal musical representation of the Enlightenment.” (Beard, 60) After the Enlightenment women became more involved with music on social levels. This manifestation allowed more women presence in the amateur performers