Beautiful Music was somewhat of a non-format. There were likely enough orchestras around to supply the format but some of the content, that increased with time, was comprised of custom recordings and arrangements commissioned by the companies distributing the format. As I understand it, many times musicians of various classical orchestras, especially in Europe, would be hired to work out arrangements and covers of popular songs in their off season.
As music trends changed and the Beautiful Music listener became older, various attempts were made to create the format where younger demographics would be interested. In many cases, the new material was disliked by older demographics and simply unattractive to younger demographics. I blame this in part on an evolution in music listening where the younger demographics were interested in the original version versus the song being performed by someone else.
I tend to think this reality of preference for original material caused Beautiful Music to morph in to 'lite rock'. The younger side was not interested in hearing Yesterday performed by Percy Faith and the Orchestra or by Andy Williams. They wanted the Beatles doing Yesterday. In addition, many of the popular songs, as the years rolled on, did not lend themselves to an orchestrated version very well. The number of songs that did became less and less.
I have heard orchestrated covers of the Stones' Brown Sugar and even Michael Jackson's Beat It. Both left me wondering if simply hanging my head or audible laughter was the appropriate response. Indeed, neither would have met with the approval of the older demographic that had listened to Beautiful Music for years not would it meet with the approval of the younger demographic that knew the song via the original artist.
There are thousands of Beautiful Music selections of what was termed 'the standards' that are timeless and quality material. It seems, unlike the Classical format that has marketed itself so well as timeless, Beautiful Music could not rid itself of the label of old music of another era. Thus, beautiful music died and the artists performing it faded away for the most part.
My Dad offered the insight as I compared his attitude with mine. For him, it is the song, not the performer. Hearing many people perform the song is interesting as in hearing the different interpretations. For those, like myself, growing up in a Top 40 and Rock world, the creativity of the original version meant any other attempt to cover a song was to demonstrate a lack of creativity and originality, possibly a lack of talent. Hearing 5 versions of Stairway to Heaven didn't enhance my listening experience but rather left me wanting for the original version. This change (song versus artist) could be the very reason Beautiful Music fell from popularity.
