Impact factor: certainly a factor, but just whom does it impact? Important lessons from another discipline.

摘要

In the second half of the eighteenth century, Mozart and Hadyn ruled the world of classical music. During their lifetimes, they wrote music that was enjoyed by all types of people in various stations of life and in all types of social settings. When music lovers attended concerts, they often heard pieces that had never before been performed. Certainly, not every new piece appealed to every listener, but audience appreciation translated into the patronage and commissions that were essential for these composers to earn a living. These two composers are revered as geniuses even today, above many of their contemporaries, for the daring innovations that they brought to the field of concert music.