This brings to mind a question that has been in the back of my head
for some time. How did "the standard repertoire" become "the standard
repertoire"? In the early days of this century when Stokowski, Toscanini,
Nikisch, Furtwangler, etc. were conducting they didn't have any "standard
repertoire"...or did they? I know from some research that Mozart was not
considered "standard repertoire" at one time. Nor was Haydn. It seems
that Beethoven and Brahms were always considered so. The first complete
cycle of a composer's symphonies was Brahms (I believe he made it before
Beethoven). Anyway, was it audience response that helped to mold the
"standard repertoire"? Thought I'd see if anyone else has done some
research on this question.
Peace,
bob stumpf