I have to draw on memory for this theory, but I believe union contract
agreements with major symphony orchestras have something to do with the
diminished role for overtures. Specifically, in the late 1970s and early
1980s, negotiations in Boston and Chicago led to an agreement that the
normal "public performance" could be shortened from 90 minutes to 75
minutes. Exceptions could be made a specified number of times each
season for longer works, opera in concert, etc., but over time the usual
subscription concert format settled in at 80 minutes or less; indeed,
I can recall articles in some weekend publications along the lines of
the "slowly shrinking classical concert," when evenings clocked in at
70 minutes or even less--and here I'm talking about the normal weekend
concert, not the "early bird," "preview" and other abbreviated programs
that have been introduced in recent years.
Looking back at some of my old programs from Boston, London and New York
from the 1965-85 time frame, I see many longer evenings, consisting of
an overture or tone poem, a concerto and a full symphony or suite after
intermission. Further back, I have a Toscanini program from Boston that
starts with a Weber overture, Beethoven 7, and, after intermission, works
by Brahms, Smetana, and Wagner: 90 minutes or more for sure. In recent
years, my impression is that most programs are in the 70-80 minute range
and consist of 2-3 works..not the 4-5 I see in my program collection.
An easy way to get from 90 minutes to 75 is to drop the short piece--and
its rehearsal requirements--so more programs now start right off with a
concerto, suite or symphony, and drop the curtain-raiser.
Admittedly, this is all from nearly 40 years of memories of concert-going
and the labor relations connection has to be pinned down, but I believe
the shorter concerts (and missing overtures) can be traced to changes
in working conditions, plus audience feedback in some markets. Let's
see if there's a musician or attorney out there who has firmer facts
at hand.
Dick Claeys
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