A strange little review, by John Allison, in today's Times, deals mostly
with the rest of the program performed by Salonen and the LA Phil in Usher
Hall, and then adds:

"In `Des Knaben Wunderhorn'...  Salonen was joined by by two strong [sic]
soloists, the Swedish contralto Anna Larsson and German baritone Thomas
Quasthoff.  In a perfect performance, both would have been slightly more
varied in tone.  [And, in perfect world, reviews would get more than a
brief paragraph for such "strong" singers.]

"Larsson, who has made a speciality of Mahler, has an impressive lower
register, but was not ideally focused, and Quasthoff, though he has a
lieder singer's appreciation of words [sic], was a little blustery at the
start [could Allison be thinking about that blustery little song at the
start?].  But the final `Urlicht' attained a mystical level." End of
review.

In the same issue (8/29), a debate breaking open over the Arts Council
report that the proportion of concert-goers under 24 has fallen from 8.4%
in 1999 to 4% last year.  The Times, both in an editorial and in an article
by its chief music critic, counters by placing responsibility with families
and schools.

Rather than having more cellists play in T-shirt, editorial and article
say, orchestras should use their limited resources to achieve optimal
performance, not try for more remedial action.  Balance, of course, is the
goal, but the Times is speaking up against the knee-jerk "let orchestras do
it all" policy - unsupported by funds in most places.  [certainly in the
US].

I am trying to square this with my Edinburgh experience of the late-night
five-pound concerts of the highest quality, a roaring success, bringing in
tons of new audiences - and now cancelled!

Janos Gereben/SF
In Merry Old, to 9/1
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