Chris Bonds wrote:

>Is predictability in programming a response to audience demand? Are the
>people who are upset about this just a vocal minority? We have more leisure
>time than ever before but we don't seem to be using it to learn new works.
>I'm perhaps somewhat guilty of this myself.  Maybe all we want is the
>comfort of the familiar in the age of annihilation by information.

For me this is a fundamental question.  I have no answer but have wondered.
There are times I wonder if it is not a result of a built in expectation.
If you develop an audience with the standards, that audience may associate
that venue with the standards?

I am reminded of one experiment done on the radio.  A station began
broadcasting Schubert lieder during the morning.  (my memory is sketchy
here) I recall that there were supposedly many complaints at first.  Then
one morning they abruptly stopped the practice.  They then got calls
expressing that they missed hearing the Schubert every morning.

Karl