Reader Antoine Leboyer writes to point out that the New York Philharmonic has made its programme archive available online and that the archive shows how past programmes were far more varied than those played today. Here are just some of the composers that Antoine highlights from past concerts by the orchestra: Siniaglia, Busoni, Bosi, Chadwick, Stanford, Loeffler, McDowell, Hadley, Goldmark, Pfitzner, Enesco, Vieuxtemps and Grétry. Antoine also remarks on how Webern's music has virtually disappeared from New York concerts in recent years. One of the many confidence tricks of the digital era is how a long tail of cultural riches was promised , but a short head immaculately coiffed by audience whoring celebrities was actually delivered. I suggest that one of the key search criteria for the New York Philharmonic's new music director should be a passion for giving audiences permission to like unfamiliar music . Graphic is grabbed from the New York Philarmonic archive lan
Comments
I had occasion to listen to various Beethoven piano interpretations recently, and this is indeed a class in itself.
I've ordered that CD.
It is a measure of my conditioning and prejudice that I nearly didn't listen to it because of Suzie Quatro. It was only the knowledge that Michael Berkeley never makes a dud programme that prompted me to listen on earphones while cutting the lawn.
Glad I did ...
MB has an extroadinary ability to draw out of non profesional music lovers some remarkable insights.. often they are more interesting than composers say.