Steven Schwartz <[log in to unmask]> wrote about my favourite orchestra:

>As I say, I'm not all that big on the VPO in any case, since I'm not all
>that wild about hearing them repeat repertoire I already know.  I'm also
>not big on their rhythm. They vary widely, depending on who leads them.
>The nonsense that they are the Greatest Orchestra in the World remains
>nonsense...

Funny world mister Schwartz!  I always liked the Wiener Philarmoniker
just for the fact that they are able to play everything they have on their
notepapers until perfection.  It is like an actor, will not in my eyes get
counted for great - perhaps good, but not great - if he (or she!!) cannot
come into and play every role.  That mould fungus Rowan Atkinson can play
one role into perfection, but to me that doesn't make him a as great actor
as many others, because they can play many roles very good.  The allegory
applicated on the orchestras.  VPO playes every repertoire great
(especially superb when this happends to be Mahler or Richard Strauss),
VPO play excellent under Boulez as well as Gardiner or Norrington.  Still
many would say it so that they has a very traditional approach to the
music, but I like to add within this frame great things happends.

I must ask though, is the VPO still not accepting women?? It was two years
ago I heard they had promised to let women in.

In this topic I remember Arturo Toscanini "didn't allow women in his
orchestra", and on the question why he replied: "Because if they are
beautiful, they distract my musicians, and if they are ugly they irritate
me!" *LOL!* But my question: Which was this orchestra? It could never have
been the NBC, uh?

James Zehm
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