Bert Bailey writes:

>I recall reading on this List that few musicians playing in top-rate
>orchestras back when would gain entry into a good present-day musical
>academy -- standards now being so much higher.
>
>This suggests to me that eliminating or reducing that diversity of sound
>between those orchestras is maybe a *good* thing.  So we've actually
>gained something by this reckoning, even if it implies the greater
>homogeneity to wh you refer.

There certainly seems to be a larger number of decent orchestras today
than-say- twenty years ago, The success of Naxos seems based on this
fact- creditable performances are turned in by orchestras from the Ukraine
to New Zealand under the direction of conductors who are not likely to
guest conduct the great American orchestras any time soon.  This is a
rather striking change from the days when six American orchestras and
perhaps a dozen European orchestras were considered to be in a class all
by themselves- and by implication, uniquely qualified to have their
performances preserved via recordings.The star system is not quite what
it used to be.

Bernard Chasan