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
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While it is not a Cathedral proper, this evening the Library of Congress is acting the role of a center of civilization by hosting a chamber choral ensemble -- San Francisco-based Chanticleer -- in an all American choral program by living composers -- the East Coast premiere of Ezequiel Viñao's The Wanderer, a setting of an ancient Anglo-Saxon poem, and works by Paul Schoenfeld, Carlos Sánchez Gutiérrez, Arthur Jarvinen, and Steven Stucky.
Here is an insightful review by Richard Scheinin of the San Jose Mercury of the program (or a similar one) performed at Mission Santa Clara, in Northern California, last month.
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/columnists/15610504.htm