The modern perception of &quot;the brand&quot; of the stereotypical classical symphony, with formal attire for performers and audience, completely silent audiences, etc, is the biggest reason that symphony attendance has been on a long, continual decline. It makes middle-class types who might otherwise like the music but don&#x27;t want to get looked down on by snobs like Mr. Branch himself go elsewhere for their entertainment.<p>Compare, for example, to the popularity of musicals. They operate under the same  basic &quot;spend a lot of money to sit your butt in a seat for two hours and listen to musicians perform&quot; principle, but many musicals have intentionally aimed themselves at all kinds of audiences, like politically-conscious artists (Rent), middle-class white girls (Wicked), families with children (Lion King), twentysomethings worried about their futures (Avenue Q), people who are into furries (Cats), etc.