The town I live in, New Orleans, Louisiana, has a very fragile
symphony-orchestra tradition (much stronger in opera).  Beyond operas and
recent movies, I doubt that many even college-educated New Orleanians could
tell you the names of classical composers, let alone know what these
composers wrote.

One positive result of all this is that they react spontaneously
and honestly to what they hear, without much concern for reputation.
Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, for example, got very little response (the
symphony's doing it again) while Bernstein's Age of Anxiety symphony
received thunderous applause.  The audience also applauds (sometimes)
between movements.  I'm glad they're having a good time.  It's not as
if they were applauding *during* the movement.

Steve Schwartz