Karl Miller:

>I will do some reading, but I would guess, that when New York had perhaps
>a population of a million they had how many orchestras...and with how
>many million now, how many orchestras do they have...

I take exception to this line of reasoning.  Two trends being concurrent
does not indicate that they are related, and if there is a causal effect,
there is no way to tell which causes the other without more information.

I think that recording is GOOD for concerts.  People who attend concerts
anyway and would have in a previous century, generally mix their recorded
and listening experiences.  Other people who do not have the inclination
attend or readiness to spend on attending a concert, can still learn to
appreciate music through recordings, which opens them up to future
concertgoing.

Personally, I am more likely to attend a concert where piece I know (from
recordings) will be played.  I do not even have to spend money to learn
more music from recordings; I frequently use libraries.  (And I am more
likely to purchase a recording if I have been to a concert where it was
performed, so it is a symbiotic relationship).

At any rate, neither the advent of recording technology nor the population
growth of NYC and their concurrence with trends in numbers of orchestras
there, necessarily leads to a causal link.

Michael Cooper