Klarinet Archive - Posting 000496.txt from 1999/06

From: "Patricia Smith" <david-patty@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] NY Times article
Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 11:31:49 -0400

Dear Michael and others on this list,

Thank you for forwarding this article to all of us on this mailing list. I
felt the Times writer did treat his subject well. Also, he gave the lie to
the notion that hiring union musicians is too expensive for smaller
companies (or any smaller organization). What the real truth is, is that
the people running these organizations are either cheap, foolish or crooked,
many a time. Instead of putting on a less challenging, easier-to-produce
work, then hiring good musicians, building an appropriate set and obtaining
reasonably priced costumes, a great deal of money is spent on the rights to
a major work which then requires massive sets, extra rehearsals (which also
can get pricey unless you are not paying your singers or actors?),
custom-sewn costumes...no need to go on. Cuts end up having to be made -
and it is usually not the producer's salary that is the first to go,
especially if the individual does not have another income. Somehow, I just
cannot see where anyone is saved much, if it takes over 600 hours to enter
the parts (or just one part!) into a virtual orchestra program. And no way
to change dynamics...
I also believe that this is a slap in the face to legitimate composers of
computer music. The electronic medium should be used for its own virtues,
not to imitate other instruments (does this argument sound familiar?).
I hope everyone will take the time to read this article, and follow up
with some sort of public correspondence to the appropriate local or state
government agency where they reside. It is one thing to not impede
legitimate commerce; it is quite another to basically defraud people,
monetarily and artistically.

Patty Smith

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org