You know, I'm sure it's a real good excuse for not playing "difficult"
work, and it's probably to some extent even true.  However, it's not as
though one goes to a Philly concert and is bombarded with Schoenberg,
Varese, and Carter time and time again.  In fact, what one tends to get at
concerts - and I don't single out Philly - is Lovely Tonal Music and the
Classical Top 40.  There comes a point - and US orchestras have, with some
exceptions - hovered near there for quite a while - where the orchestra
duplicates the repertoire of the average classical CD collection.  In
short, it no longer contributes in a major way to the musical health of
its community.

If 20th-century repertoire of any stripe - conservative, MOR, or radical
- appeared regularly on concert programs, I could see his point.  But it
doesn't, and the real alternative is no music from our own time.  Until the
repertoire becomes more familiar (probably through CDs and broadcasts),
that will remain the case for a very long time.

By the way, I saw the Louisiana Philharmonic's (or LA Phil) artistic
director and business executive at another function, and I went up to them
to tell them how much I loved their programming the Bernstein Symphony No.
3 and the David Schiff Concerto for Timpany.  I figured they probably both
took a lot of abuse for it, so they should get some praise and gratitude as
well.

If you hear something unusual you like - and not just 20th-century
repertoire - let the right people know.  Otherwise, they have little
incentive to continue.  I've found the people who decide eager for
audience feedback.

Steve Schwartz