Klarinet Archive - Posting 000086.txt from 2008/11

From: Sean Osborn <feanor33@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] "big 5"
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:26:22 -0500

My point is that the "big 5" aren't the top, if they ever
were. There was a period of time in the 1950s when those five
orchestras were the only ones with recording contracts. They were
marketed as the big 5 to sell more records and make more $$$.
As with most everything in sales (and entertainment, *ahem* I mean
performing art is sales), marketing is more important than quality.

Perpetuating the myth of the big 5 when referring to the top American
orchestras today, or for the last 30 years, neglects the fact that
the following orchestras are equal to, or better than, the old "big
5" according to routine polls among national critics:

Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (which was at the top of that poll every
year I was in it)
Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
San Francisco Symphony
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Pittsburgh Symphony
Cincinnati Symphony
St. Louis Symphony
Atlanta Sympony

And, currently, the most recorded orchestra in America is the Seattle Symphony.

Sean

>This seems specious - I was never denying there are other orchestras
>which are "better" - or which pay more. The point is that the set of
>orchestral positions from which you can derive a "good" lifestyle,
>doing nothing but playing in that orchestra, is in fact quite finite.
>
>personally I've found that many regional orchestras can give
>incredible performances, well on par with the "top."

www.osbornmusic.com

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