Music critic: Fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music,

The whole idea behind the correct answer seems to unfairly rest on the interpretation of “performances” as “live-performances” v “old-recording”. I eliminated B, D, E for reasons mentioned by experts above and I was skeptical about A as well since I understood the fact that just because ppl believe they have aptitude doesn’t mean they actually have it and so, I was torn between A and C. I ruled out C because I didn’t see “performances” as only limited to live performances, an artist could be performing on a recording and thus went with A.

Can someone please shed light on this ^

Music critic: Fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music, decreasing the likelihood that those with real aptitude for such music will be performing it. Audiences who hear these performances will not appreciate classical music’s greatness and will thus decamp to other genres. So to maintain classical music’s current meager popularity, we must encourage more young musicians to enter the field.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the music critic’s reasoning?

(A) Musicians who choose to study classical music do so because they believe they have an aptitude for the music.

(B) Classical music’s current meager popularity is attributable to the profusion of other genres of music available to listeners.

(C) Most people who appreciate classical music come to do so through old recordings rather than live performances.

(D) It is possible to enjoy the music in a particular genre even when it is performed by musicians who are not ideally suited for that genre.

(E) The continued popularity of a given genre of music depends in part on the audiences being able to understand why that genre attained its original popularity.

GMATNinja KarishmaB

In option B -> if Classical music’s current meager popularity is attributed to the profusion of other genres of music available to listeners, then even if we increase people studying classical music it won't maintain/increase the popularity since the decline/current meager popularity is attributed not to X(decrease in people studying it) but to Y(increase in listening other genres)

So doesn't option B weaken the argument that, making people study classical music will maintain meager popularity?

Please let me know if I'm missing something.

The critic's conclusion is that "we must encourage more young musicians to enter the field "in order to "maintain classical music’s current meager popularity". How does the author reach this conclusion?

• Fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music, and, as a result, it is becoming less likely that those with real aptitude for classical music will be performing it. This implies that the quality of classical music performances is declining.
• As the quality of the performances decreases, those performances will become less likely to showcase the greatness of classical music. Thus, audiences will become less likely to appreciate the greatness of classical music.
• If audiences do not appreciate the greatness of classical music, they will chose to listen to other types of music.
• To summarize: less qualified performers => weaker performances that do no showcase the greatness of classical music => audiences who do not appreciate the greatness of classical music => audiences moving away from classical music and opting to listen to other types of music instead

The author then concludes that "we must encourage more young musicians to enter the field" in order to "maintain classical music’s current meager popularity". Notice the word must; this implies that if we do NOT encourage more young musicians to enter the field, we will not be able to "maintain classical music’s current meager popularity".

We are asked, "Which of the following, if true, most weakens the music critic’s reasoning?"

The critic's argument does not discuss why fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music. If fewer and fewer musicians believe that they have an aptitude for classical music, that might explain why fewer and fewer musicians are choosing to study classical music. Choice (A) doesn't seem to weaken the critic's reasoning, so (A) can be eliminated.

The author's argument is not concerned with explaining classical music's current meager popularity. Rather, the author discusses what he/she believes must be done to maintain the current level of popularity. Choice (B) can be eliminated because it does not weaken the critic's reasoning.

The critic reasons that audiences will move away from classical music as they listen to weaker performances of classical music. However, if most people who appreciate classical music come to do so through old recordings rather than live performances, it doesn't matter if the quality of the performances is in decline. Those people can still listen to old recordings and thus still appreciate the greatness of classical music. This breaks the critic's line of reasoning, so (C) is a solid choice.

The author does not argue that it will not be possible to enjoy classical music performed by musicians who are not ideally suited for that genre. Instead, the author argues that classical performances by musicians who are not ideally suited for that genre will fail to convey the greatness of classical music and thus cause audiences to listen to other types of music. Choice (D) does not weaken the critic's reasoning, so it can be eliminated.

The author does not claim that appreciation for the greatness of classical music is the ONLY necessary requirement for maintaining the current level of popularity. The popularity can certainly be affected by other factors, such as understanding why classical music attained its original popularity. Even if the continued popularity of classical music depends in part on the audiences being able to understand why classical music attained its original popularity, the popularity of classical music might still be in jeopardy unless more young musicians enter the field. (E) can be eliminated, and we're left with (C).

It is not mentioned in the question stem that audience will hear "live" performance.
do we have to assume that you see a recording and hear a live performance??

GMATNinja KarishmaB AjiteshArun

(B) Classical music’s current meager popularity is attributable to the profusion of other genres of music available to listeners.
(C) Most people who appreciate classical music come to do so through old recordings rather than live performances.

If C gives us a reason that popularity depends on old recordings rather than live performances, why cant we have a similar reasoning for B. B also gives the reason for current popularity.

So both B & C gives us a reason for popularity and therefore can be related to how can we maintain current popularity.

Why this reasoning is incorrect?

The critic's conclusion is that "we must encourage more young musicians to enter the field "in order to "maintain classical music’s current meager popularity". How does the author reach this conclusion?

• Fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music, and, as a result, it is becoming less likely that those with real aptitude for classical music will be performing it. This implies that the quality of classical music performances is declining.
• As the quality of the performances decreases, those performances will become less likely to showcase the greatness of classical music. Thus, audiences will become less likely to appreciate the greatness of classical music.
• If audiences do not appreciate the greatness of classical music, they will chose to listen to other types of music.
• To summarize: less qualified performers => weaker performances that do no showcase the greatness of classical music => audiences who do not appreciate the greatness of classical music => audiences moving away from classical music and opting to listen to other types of music instead

The author then concludes that "we must encourage more young musicians to enter the field" in order to "maintain classical music’s current meager popularity". Notice the word must; this implies that if we do NOT encourage more young musicians to enter the field, we will not be able to "maintain classical music’s current meager popularity".

We are asked, "Which of the following, if true, most weakens the music critic’s reasoning?"

The critic's argument does not discuss why fewer and fewer musicians are studying classical music. If fewer and fewer musicians believe that they have an aptitude for classical music, that might explain why fewer and fewer musicians are choosing to study classical music. Choice (A) doesn't seem to weaken the critic's reasoning, so (A) can be eliminated.

The author's argument is not concerned with explaining classical music's current meager popularity. Rather, the author discusses what he/she believes must be done to maintain the current level of popularity. Choice (B) can be eliminated because it does not weaken the critic's reasoning.

The critic reasons that audiences will move away from classical music as they listen to weaker performances of classical music. However, if most people who appreciate classical music come to do so through old recordings rather than live performances, it doesn't matter if the quality of the performances is in decline. Those people can still listen to old recordings and thus still appreciate the greatness of classical music. This breaks the critic's line of reasoning, so (C) is a solid choice.

The author does not argue that it will not be possible to enjoy classical music performed by musicians who are not ideally suited for that genre. Instead, the author argues that classical performances by musicians who are not ideally suited for that genre will fail to convey the greatness of classical music and thus cause audiences to listen to other types of music. Choice (D) does not weaken the critic's reasoning, so it can be eliminated.

The author does not claim that appreciation for the greatness of classical music is the ONLY necessary requirement for maintaining the current level of popularity. The popularity can certainly be affected by other factors, such as understanding why classical music attained its original popularity. Even if the continued popularity of classical music depends in part on the audiences being able to understand why classical music attained its original popularity, the popularity of classical music might still be in jeopardy unless more young musicians enter the field. (E) can be eliminated, and we're left with (C).