Classical music muscle

Observers have been predicting the death of classical music for years now. Symphony orchestras from coast-to-coast are struggling to sell tickets. Those who do attend concerts are more likely than not to have gray hair. Critic Norman Lebrecht already declared the industry dead when he asked, in the title of his 1997 book, “Who Killed Classical Music?”

So it came as a surprise to discover that classical was last year’s fastest-growing musical genre, with album sales up 22.5 percent.

Nielsen SoundScan, which tracks American point-of-purchase music sales in stores and online, recently released its 2006 data. Sales of classical albums were up while sales of many popular genres fell: rap was down 20.7 percent, R&B; was down 18.4 percent, alternative 9.2 percent and jazz 8.3 percent.

(Soundtracks also did well, with a 19 percent increase, but that’s because of the year’s top-selling album, “High School Musical.”)

With 19.4 million albums sold, classical sales were at their highest level in four years. Meanwhile, the industry as a whole is suffering. Album sales overall were down 4.9 percent from 2005, with 588.2 million sold last year.

Who might have been responsible for such an impressive climb? Did a legendary symphony orchestra release a particularly stirring rendition of Beethoven’s Fifth, for example? Did a talented young soprano bowl us over with her Isolde in Wagner’s masterpiece?

Sadly, there’s no such encouraging explanation for classical music’s sudden rise. In fact, we might have to lay the genre’s resurrection at the feet of six words that would seem to be an anathema to classical connoisseurs: Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban — and Il Divo, the international male operatic pop quartet created by cranky “American Idol” judge Simon Cowell.

Il Divo’s debut recording, featuring a Spanish rendition of R&B; singer Toni Braxton’s hit “Unbreak My Heart,” was the top-selling classical album of 2005. The group released two albums last year that combined sold about 1.5 million copies.

But Il Divo’s successful debut didn’t help classical sales enough in 2005. Album sales were down 15 percent. Perhaps it’s because neither Mr. Bocelli nor Mr. Groban released an album that year. (Mr. Bocelli, however, did appear on the recording of the opera “Werther.”)

Their 2006 releases may have single-handedly resuscitated the genre — if they were actually working in it.

Mr. Bocelli, a blind Italian tenor whose life story has enchanted millions, records operas every now and then. His performances rarely get good reviews, though. But the nonclassical buying public — particularly women — fell for his 2006 release “Amore.” It had a remake of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a duet with pop star Christina Aguilera and sold 1.4 million copies. Mr. Bocelli’s CD/DVD release of a live concert, “Under the Desert Sky,” gave him an additional 460,000 copies sold.

Mr. Groban, an American baritone, doesn’t even bother with opera. His 2006 LP “Awake,” featuring one song co-written with Dave Matthews, was his first in three years. It was released in November and by year’s end already had sold 1.3 million copies.

Mr. Bocelli’s and Mr. Groban’s 2006 releases alone were responsible for more than 3 million of the 19.4 million classical albums sold last year.

These crossover acts may have saved classical sales.

But will they save classical music?

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