On Jan 28, 2006, at 4:17 AM, dhbailey wrote:
Well, many symphonies are teetering on the brink of extinction and
they're still programming music by long-dead composers, so one
would think that rather than try to more of the same only with more
energy (which is proving to be their undoing) they would say to
themselves "Wow, programming all this music by DEWM (dead European
white males), maybe if we programmed music by living composers with
occasional inclusion of music which everybody already knows already
anyway we'd find a newer and more enthusiastic audience."
All the orchestras which have gone under in the past few years (San
Diego, Louisiana) and all those who have teetered on the brink and
may go under in the next few years have all followed Dean's
suggestion.
It not my suggestion that only music by DEWM be offered. My
suggestion is that it still be a part of the total package. What is
being programmed by the symphonies whcih ARE doing well? When I see
a program on TV from Lincoln Center, or some other venue which is
still not teetering (as far as I know), I invariably see a mix of
"standard repertoire" and something with which I'm not particularly
familiar. It makes me happy ... forgive me if I still get a high
from a great rendition of the Eroica ... and if I'm getting a high, I
obviously aint dead yet. I also love to hear new music, and think I
represent the vast majority of concert goers who are the only
significant source of revenue for a local symphony orchestra. When
they quit buying tickets, adios musicians.
It's the notion that Schoenberg (and other composers like him) is
the only alternative to the classical/romantic literature which
keeps many fine compositions off current orchestral programs.
There are many more composers over the past century than just
Schoenberg. And audiences respond very favorably to many of them,
if they're just given a chance to hear the music.
Of course ... as a person whose Master's thesis was a dodecaphonic
piece for wind ensemble, and one who spent God knows how many hours
researching Schoenberg, Berg, Pearle, Schuller, Babbit, Cage,
Hindemith, etc., I am aware of the huge quantity and quality of
"contemporary" music out there. I was only using Schoenberg as an
example. My principal point was that if a symphony is to succeed
financially, some of the standard repertoire probably needs to be
programmed, and we need not decry those who still find value in
hearing that literature as being dead.
Dean
--
David H. Bailey
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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