I've been following this thread quietly but Christopher Webber's reply
definitely caught my eye.  And I must admit, I have the same tendencies.
Program a Bax symphony and I'm there.  Beethoven symphony?  I've heard
them all many times, played the three with trombones several times.  I
still listen to them on recordings.  But no Beethoven symphony is going
to get me into the concert hall own its own any more--for whatever that
is worth.  And certainly no 19th Century concerto.  In every group I
play in where I have anything at all to say, I beg the powers that be
to open up on their programming just a little.  I've been successful a
few times.  Elgar Third.  Shostakovich 12.  Barber First.  A Brian fanfare
even, plus some Tomasi and Ruggles.  Korngold, too.  Little victories,
I guess.

That was an interesting observation about the reaction of the orchestra
that played Handley's great set of Bax symphonies.  And I have no
explanation for it.

Oh.  I did try to get one orchestra to play a Bax symphony.  No luck.
But they did play November Woods.  Take it where I can get it.  Better
trombone parts than I expected, too.

Roger Hecht

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