James Zehm replies to my snit:

>Steven Schwartz <[log in to unmask]> wrote about my favourite orchestra:
>
>>As I say, I'm not all that big on the VPO in any case, since I'm not all
>>that wild about hearing them repeat repertoire I already know.  I'm also
>>not big on their rhythm. They vary widely, depending on who leads them.
>>The nonsense that they are the Greatest Orchestra in the World remains
>>nonsense...
>
>Funny world mister Schwartz!  I always liked the Wiener Philarmoniker
>just for the fact that they are able to play everything they have on
>their notepapers until perfection.

I don't know them live.  I go solely on recordings.  They've made great
recordings (the Solti Ring) and pretty lousy recordings (Dohnanyi's Don
Juan, eg).  I would also say that several orchestras strike me as good
or even better, from the standpoint of sheer playing, depending on who's
leading and on the repertoire.  Some of those orchestras include the
Chicago, the Cleveland, the NY Phil, the Berlin Phil, the Concertgebouw,
the LPO, etc.  etc.  What I'm really saying is that there are a number
of orchestras in the VPO's league, and it makes very little sense to me
to call this or that one the Best in the World.  It's a little bit like
wondering whether Superman could beat up Captain Marvel.  It's the same
problem, incidentally, with trying to decide the Greatest Composer of All
Time.  As much as I love Bach, I wouldn't call him that, if it meant that
Mahler, Beethoven, Brahms, Stravinsky, or (fill in your favorite composer
here) was relegated to second place.

Just so we're clear:  I don't think the VPO an inferior orchestra either.
I've enjoyed many of their recordings.  On the other hand, I've enjoyed
many other recordings of the same repertoire just as much.

As to the question of letting women in, if they renounce public money, they
can let in whomever they like, as far as I'm concerned.  If they accept
public funds, then they've got to put into practice audition procedures
that are genuinely blind to nationality, sex, religion, ethnic origin,
etc., since the public has the right to expect the best musician that could
reasonably be gotten for the seat.  If they exclude on a priori grounds -
ie, without blind auditions - then they're probably kidding themselves.

Steve Schwartz