Tim MAhon commenting on Daniel Beland's communication:

>And finally, I believe Daniel raises an important issue with the words
>"...nicely built programs..." Yes -- you will get takers for a Beethoven
>symphony cycle, a Mozart piano concerto series or a Wagner operatic
>behemoth -- as well you should.  But careful marketing of thoughtfully
>developed programmes should also pay dividends in a society in which
>increasing attention is being paid to leisure and cultural activities --
>especially in the era of the Internet and e-mail newsletters as methods
>of generating interest and aspiration.  If the Rattles, Oramos and St.
>Clairs of this world can persuade their collaborators to embrace
>'challenging' programming, then others can succeed with it to.
>Build it and they will come?

One of the most enjoyable BSO concerts of the last few years was conducted
by Simon Rattle:  Janacek's Slavonic Mass, and Szymanowski's Stabat Mater.
I don't know whether or not it was a crowd pleaser, but I did not see many
empty seats even though I went to the Friday afternoon concert, well known
to attract the most veteran BSO concert goers.

In a time when symphony orchestras are having severe finacial problems
and classical music enthusiasts are (I am trying to express this gently)
probably are on the average older than the general population, new
audiences must be attracted.  Here opinions diverge.  Traditionalists will
lob their canon balls and claim that the Best of the Past is the ONLY music
which most listeners will be willing to hear, that Inner Circles and Those
in the Know (not to mention "we") must be deferred to- they know best.  It
is an argument with some force, but I think that it is incorrect.  There
is no need to STOP playing Beethoven, Brahms and Sibelius among others-
its just that program making be more imaginative and varied.  This requires
thought and creative program making, whereas the present approach too often
consists of choosing one from the Beethoven column and one from the Brahms
column.

Daniel Beland's list contained music of a great variety of styles.
However most of it was written in the twentieth century and the great
myth is that all of the stuff is difficult and avant garde.  This myth
is reinforced by the timid and unimaginative nature of the program making
process which effectively deprives cocert goers of a chance to hear for
themselves.  The deplorable rapid disappearance of classical music stations
is yet another part of the story.  Even when they don't disappear they can
be very bland.  WCRB, a commercial station in Boston pitches classical
music as "relaxing".  The B stands for bland.  The only Elgar the station
ever plays are some of the lighter pieces (which as it happens I like.) But
I don't ever recall hearing Elgar symphonies or concerti on this station
-much too unrelaxing, I suppose.  And somebody as wild and crazy as Vaughn
Williams? Forget about it- again, except for the lighter, shorter pieces.
I note too that WCRB sometimes has short announcements on BSO programs-
not advertisements- more as public service.  Now suppose that the BSO is
playing a program of Beethoven and Ned Rorem.  The notice will mention
Beethoven only.  Some public service.

Professor Bernard Chasan
Physics Department, Boston University