Christopher Webber writes: >The mystery is how little concert programmers, still catering stoically >for a moribund clientele and its terminal diet of Beethoven sandwiches, >takes note of the repertoire which is selling so cosily and consistently in >the record shops - Bax, Rubbra, Martinu, Vaughan Williams, Barber et. al. It's been my experience that the audience for concerts is not the same as for record buying. In general, I think that record buyers are more serious about their music; so many concert goers, even those holding a season's ticket, are just as interested in getting out, socializing, and making a fine evening of it as in actually listening to music. There's no problem with that at all, but it does help explain the programmer's mind-set that the concert audience might well be skeptical and not receptive to different material. On the other hand, I found out when working in a classical record shop that infrequent buyers generally wanted the 'big' names. That was the buying approach which made them comfortable. I understood that and gave them exactly what they requested. I always aim to please. Don Satz [log in to unmask]