Posted by chuck on October 22, 2000 at 12:20:52:
In Reply to: Florida Philharmonic Orchestra Strike posted by Jay Bertolet on October 20, 2000 at 21:22:38:
Jay, you have my sympathies. I vividly recall the trials my family went through during the steelworker's strikes back in the 50's and 60's.
Recently, I saw a PBS documentary on Vaudeville where the comment was made that Vaudeville put itself out of business by catering to the newly-born motion picture industry. Since acts never really changed significantly, once your act was in the can, who needed you?
I can't help wonder if the same thing isn't happening more slowly to the symphonic side of the music business. After all, a CD of a legendary performance costs only a fraction of a symphony ticket and the CD can be played almost infinitely--and in many cases, the CD has advantages over a live performance--no heavy perfume from the blue-haired matron sitting next to you, no continual chatting from the couple behind you...
Rock concerts succeed because they are a great visual show, so they draw crowds. Unless the concertmaster breaks his violin over the conductor's head, symphony performances from 150 feet off all look pretty much the same. Face it, people go to rock concerts to see (and to go deaf), many people go to the symphony to be seen; some to listen.
Just food for thought; no indictments or solutions.
Good luck in your current difficulties.