Jon Gallant wrote:

>In other postings, Mr. Satz has offered the theory that public services
>would be expected to offer an improverished content when compared with
>private enterprise.  In the case of classical music on FM, the facts are
>evidently exactly opposite to the theory.  Could it be that there is
>something wrong with the theory?

There sure could be since Jon has not represented my theory correctly.
My premise is that state control of classical music would have dire
consequences for consumers, performers, and composers.  Further, Jon
mentions the fine classical music stations in Western Europe, but the
Governments in those countries do not control classical music.  So, an
incorrect reading of my premise combined with comments on "current"
practices in Democratic countries are not germane to supporting or
debunking my premise.  State control means "total" control; private
sources of providing music, if they existed at all, would just be
"fronts" for the state.

I do not have direct experience with European classical music stations.
However, the ones I'm aware of on the internet are every bit as poor
as their American counterparts.  I don't doubt that there are some fine
stations throughout the world, but most of them suck.  A steady diet of
mediocre baroque fare, syrupy/light compositions, pathetic crossover music,
and the playing of parts of total works do not constitute acceptable
programming for a seasoned listener and distort the essence of classical
music for the beginner.  The goal of most of these stations is to give us
some "pleasant" programming.  I don't think that's what classical music is
all about.

If any of you think that classical music fares well in a totalitatian
state, perhaps we could enlist the aid of the scientific community to build
a Time Machine.  You could then be transported back to the old USSR and
have a ball.  But, of course, you don't want that.  I don't either.  The
existing musical conditions in Democratic nations generally entail private
means with some Governmental support and programming - that's not state
control, and its virtues are not relevant to a discussion of expected
conditions under state control.

Don Satz
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