Klarinet Archive - Posting 000331.txt from 1994/11

From: Matthew Snyder <hsnyder@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Orchestra
Date: Wed, 23 Nov 1994 23:56:49 -0500

> Matt,
>
> Even if the symphony orchestra is a dinosaur, it is something that should be
> preserved. I hope I'm not to assume you advocate its extinction.
>
> Steve Prescott
> Instrument Rep. Tech/Clarinetist
> Indiana State Univ.
>

Steve-
Oh, no, I don't advocate its extinction, I just think two things:
a) if it insists on living in the past, as it is doing now, it is
providing for its own extinction
and
b) I think it at least has a fighting chance for survival if it
really, honestly tries to do new orchestral music. It just has to
try LOTS and LOTS of it, to try to find orchestral music of TODAY.

But, that obviously isn't happening, and we're watching the slow demise
of the orchestra in this country. If orchestral musicians are really
interested in preserving the orchestra, they should be urging their
employers to look seriously at trying to do more modern music, not all of
which is inaccessible to today's audiences. If they are only interested
in playing Mozart, Beethoven, etc., work will be harder and harder to come
by (as it already is, with orchestra's everywhere folding).

Matt Snyder
hsnyder@-----.edu