Len Fehskens replies to me:

>>How much of this stuff *don't* you have in your CD collection or haven't
>>heard many times before?
>
>But that's not why I, or most other subscribers go to concerts.

Obviously not.  But I do begin to question "most." As I said, every focus
group so far studied by the LPO has wanted more challenging programs.  I
don't know whether or how far this extends to other organizations.

>It's been years since I've heard most of this stuff *live*.  I guess
>I just don't get as jaded as quickly as some classical music lovers.

That's a good point.  I'm interested in food as well as in music.  We
have a food critic in New Orleans who regularly raps the local classics in
favor of restaurants specializing in Honduran, Thai, Ceylonese, Burmese,
Martinique, and other off-the-beaten-path places.  I think a lot of his
enthusiasm is "jaded pallate." Now, I don't go out a lot, and when I do,
I usually want Creole (the local cuisine).  Can't get enough of it and,
in fact, taught myself to cook it passably well.  On the other hand, I've
been involved with classical music for close to 50 years.  My musical
tastes have always been rather wide (I'm a very picky eater).  I've never
understood why people don't want to hear something they haven't heard
before, although I well understand why they don't want to taste new things.

Steve Schwartz