Albie replies to Bernard Chasan:

>>Is it possible that the bad financial situation of many American
>>orchestras is tied to all that satisfying program making?
>
>I kinda doubt it...  I think if orchestras tried going seriously avante
>garde, their situation would only get worse.

Albie gives his reasons, which seem superficially reasonable.  I should
make it clear that I have very little idea why American orchestras are in
bad shape, apart from the fact that most serious "head art" in the US - in
which category I include writing of all sorts; as opposed to art you can
hang on the wall - is in bad financial shape.  I suspect there are as many
reasons as there are orchestras.  I doubt repertory significantly enters
the equation, simply because ignorance of the classical repertory in
general is so widespread.  Beethoven marks the mandarin as surely as
Babbitt does.

I will, however, point out the following:  The New Orleans Opera, which
does nothing but favorites, is going under.  The Cleveland Orchestra, which
programs composers like Wolfgang Rihm (a composer I detest, incidentally)
on a regular basis, is in blooming good health, even during these lean
financial times.  The Kronos Quartet makes, as they say, a good living,
while other, better, more standard-rep groups struggle to stay together.

Steve Schwartz