Recorded performances of classical works have measurably sped up across the twentieth century

Evidence

If one compares the average duration of recordings of a given work over the decades, one can in fact detect unambiguous “tendencies of compression,” leaving aside a few countermovements that aim at “deceleration.” It has, moreover, been claimed that, in view of the faster pace of contemporary life, works like Beethoven’s symphonies must be played faster in order to bring about comparable effects. — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 164

Categorization

• QUESTION: A fascinating, testable data claim — durations of classical recordings as a direct measure of cultural acceleration. Worth chasing the actual study or dataset.
• SEED: Possible essay: ‘the speed of culture’ — measured via classical recording tempi as a quantifiable probe of claimed social acceleration.