Jon Johanning wrote:

>Kyle Major wrote:
>
>>Especially in recent years this has been a top-40 classical station.  In
>>fact, a few years ago they sent out a survey asking for favorite classical
>>pieces.  As a result, we hear Mozart's clarinet concerto, Pachebel's canon,
>>Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture, and Mussorsky's Pictures at an Exhibition each
>>at least three times a week.  The only twentieth century works regularly
>>programmed are Barber's Adagio (which is really late romantic), Copland's
>>Hoedown, and Holst's Jupiter.
>
>Sounds to me as though it's in the clutches of someone who just doesn't
>understand CM at all, but for some odd reason thinks it is a Good Idea
>to play at least some pop-CM favorites.  ...

Boy, does this ring a bell!  In LA, we have KUSC (public, affiliated
with the U. of So. Cal., which has a very prestigious music school) and
KKGO (commercial).  I used to listen to (and monetarily support) the
former because it consistently featured above-average CM - it wasn't
uncommon to hear Bacewicz, Messiaen or Rautavaraa [sp] during normal
daytime programming.  Recently, it seems as if some former "managed care"
administrators took over the programming and wanted to make certain
everyone was well-acquainted with their good friends Jupiter, Leonora,
William Tell, Elvira Madigan, Sebastian, Gloriana, and Dolly (and don't
forget Ina Klein- Anocked!).  This shift coincided with the introduction
of hourly NPR news reports.  I complained about the decline in quality and
variety, and was told in reply that the station has to accommodate CM
newbies, who, in their minds, form the majority of their listening base.

I've switched to KKGO and, happily, have found that it is no longer the
bastian of "Barococo" music it was in the past.  Some pleasant surprises
have been the RVW 6th (gonna buy a copy!) and 7th, the Harrison PC,
Shapiro's "Nine Minutes Overture", Herbert's Cello Concerto #2 and the
like. Presently, "Le Sacre" is playing - hey, I'll sit through some
commercials for that!

-Steve Trelease, Igor to hear what comes next...