Denis Fodor writes:

>Christopher Webber writes:
>
>>The mystery is how little concert programmers, still catering stoically for
>>a moribund clientele and its terminal diet of Beethoven sandwiches, take
>>note of the repertoire which is selling so cosily and consistently in the
>>record shops - Bax, Rubbra, Martinu, Vaughan Williams, Barber et.  al.
>
>Oh I don't know whether it's a mystery.  Here in Munich we have three
>big-time symphonic orchestras plus two operas, all of them doing
>repertoire.  They play mainly musical sandwiches to an apparently ravenous
>clientele.

I was, of course, speaking specifically of English concert programming,
where the idea of a sandwich (i.e.  two very familiar pieces wrapped round
a "novelty") is endemic.  Here in London the filling tends to be something
very up to date and daring, such as a Brahms symphony.

In Germany of course, the vast majority of concert patrons (not of
course including contributors to this list) know two things - that with
the exception of Richard Strauss, music stopped in 1900; and that only
German/Austrian composers ever wrote the stuff in the first place.  This
naturally simplifies the options for German musical institutions.

In London at least the sandwich's days are clearly numbered.  The mystery
remains as to why commercial concert promoters seem to be blind to audience
figures from BBC Symphony Orchestra's live concerts, or the Proms, where
the likes of Martinu and Vaughan Williams pack the place out.  I couldn't
even get into VW's 9th, of all pieces, last season - and that was more than
two weeks before the due date!!  My point was that it's time Bax was given
some live outings again, too.

Christopher Webber,  Blackheath, London,  UK.
http://www.nashwan.demon.co.uk/zarzuela.htm
"ZARZUELA!"