But a recent e-mail exchange with the Oregon Symphony's PR director, Carl Herko, merits some discussion here, because it depressed me in a manner severe.
Herko wrote me to complain about a short Just Out blurb I penned in which I decried the Oregon Symphony's season-opening classical concert as a dud: pairing the Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with Ralph Vaughan Williams' slight Serenade to Music. Yaaaaaawn, season-opener!
In response, here is part of what Msr. Herko wrote to me:
Why is it that every time one of the warhorses is performed, critics in this town feel compelled to make the argument that the warhorses are performed too frequently?
And by "critics in this town" he means one of the three people in greater Portland who write in print about classical music with any regularity: David Stabler (Oregonian), Brett Campbell (WW) and myself.
OK anywhose, Herko continues:
If you look at the orchestra’s entire performance history of Beethoven 9, you’ll find that, on average, it’s performed about once every five years. Many times throughout its history, this orchestra has gone a decade or more between performances. Is that too much for Beethoven 9? Debatable, I guess, but consider this: Portland’s population is growing at a rate of about 40,000 a year. That means today there are 200,000 people in Portland who weren’t even living here the last time the Oregon Symphony did Beethoven 9. If we could capture 1 percent of them, we could fill an entire concert hall with people who’ve never had the chance to hear this orchestra do Beethoven 9 before in their lives – and that’s just 1 percent of the newcomers. That doesn’t even take into account all the other people who’ve lived here their whole lives and still never heard the Oregon Symphony do Beethoven 9. How many of those are there? Another 1.8 million?
I love love love the way Herko wets himself over some serious number crunching there and, by doing so, seems to miss the point entirely: not that I'm opposed to the Symphony performing Beethoven 9 outright (bring it!), but that the entire programming context needs to be, well... stronger, more thoughtful, better curated, awesomer.
Which leads me to this...
Hotshot composer Nico Muhly recently helped to invent a little game that has people talking, including Oregon Symphony violist/blogger Charles Noble.
It goes something like this: take out your local hometeam symphony orchestra glossy season schedule. Look at Program 1. Ask yourself: could this musical program possibly be any worse? Sub in new and old works and try to make it so. Then ask yourself: could this musical program possibly be any better? Repeat same trick. Hours of giddy pleasure ensue.
SO... since Noble has asked us to take a serious look at upcoming Oregon Symphony programs, let's do that, shall we?
* * * * *
As Joe Biden would say, let's be clear about this, folks.
The Oregon Symphony is playing fifteen Classical Series concerts this season. Five of the programs are terrible. I will hasten to add that an additional two of them are mediocre.
Of the fifteen, I find but three of them to be really inspired and hey, three out of fifteen is a good place to start, Oregon Symphony. The rest I could take or leave (but won't attend). So on the whole, I find more than half of the Symphony's Classical Series concerts to be utterly and thoroughly uncompelling. I'm sorry, more than uncompelling: dead on arrival. (Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Tchaik make a number of appearances)
In the category of "terrible programming," I place:
DePreist/Ohlsson/Beethoven (April 18-20, 2009)
James DePreist, conductor; Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4
Sibelius: Symphony No. 1
My guess is that DePreist - music director emeritus - gets what he wants on a program, no questions. If that's not the case, then someone please answer for me what on earth is going on here! Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 - super! And Ohlsson, though a tad on the old-school for my taste, is a fine player. And Sibelius' first symphony - not a bad place to start with Sibelius! But why are these the only two works on the OSO program's plate? Beethoven's fourth piano concerto was path-breaking in its own way, though neglected during its time - you could make the case Sibelius' first was, too, but... I find the pairing unremarkable, and lacking punch.
UPDATE: Herko wrote to tell me that DePreist recently added a 3rd work to this program - living composer Christopher Theofanidis' Rainbow Body, a much-performed work from 2000 that takes a chant of Hildegard von Bingen for its main theme. OK, so this program just got, like, 5 times more interesting...
Brahms Violin Concerto (Nov 22-24, 2008)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, conductor; Jennifer Koh, violin
Beethoven: Overture to Egmont
Brahms: Violin Concerto
Stravinsky: Symphony in C
The Beethoven Egmont (Goethe-inspired muscle-worship!) versus the Stravinsky Symphony in C (neoclassical sublimeness) = not bad not bad. But Brahms' Violin Concerto I could live without period, so let's start by ditching that. Instead, Ms. Koh, why not offer one of the signature 20th or 21st century works you've championed: from Gyorgy Ligeti, Charles Wuorinen or Jennifer Higdon? The Ligeti Violin Concerto would make me especially hot.
All-Tchaikovsky Program (December 6-8, 2008)
Carlos Kalmar, conductor; Stephen Hough, piano
Tchaikovsky: Coronation March
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 2
Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker (Act II)
This program is like drinking a quart of corn syrup. Does anyone deserve such torments? A little queer Tchaik goes a long way, people. And if there's ever a hyperromantic composer whose music evaporates at right around the 60-minute mark, it's Tchaikovsky. Sure, the three works are quaintly unique, but really, Carlos - all-Tchaik? I get the distinct feeling that this whole show was a place-holding program for a program that never got programmed.
Lintus/Gutierrez/Rachmaninoff (April 4-6, 2009)
Hannu Lintu, conductor; Horacio Gutierrez, piano
Mozart: Symphony No. 36 (Linz)
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
Lindberg: Feria
Ravel: Bolero
OK, so I would advocate for this program if it didn't seem so... anything-goes batshit bizarre. The "Linz" Mozart symphony is a beaut, all refined elegance. I love the idea of the living Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg's frantic and lustrous Feria bumping up against the Mozart. Love it. But WTF with the Rach and Ravel, people?? Too much of a weird thing. Kill the Rach, which seems indulgent at best, and sub either a short 20th-century classic to feature the piano soloist or - better yet - a better-known Finnish composer (hello, Sibelius? or even Kaija Saariaho??) for the blustery Bolero.
So how about Mozart "Linz" Symphony, Lindberg Feria, Saariaho's haunting Du Cristal, and, for the pianist, something wild and explosive that doesn't come to mind immediately.
Bell Plays Mendelssohn (May 16-18, 2009)
Carlos Kalmar, conductor; Joshua Hot-Pants Bell, violin
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto
Bruckner: Symphony no. 7
OK, so when floppy haired hotty Josh Bell plays, college age girls, I mean, audiences buy tickets. Fair enough. But if you're gonna give Bell an evergreen like the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto (no complaints from me), then why not ask him to throw in one of the "lighter" American works he's also applauded for, like some Bernstein or John Corigliano? I do not at all get any connectivity here between the Mendy and the Bruckner. It looks like Kalmar said "hey, you know, let Josh play whatever he wants and then, Charles and Elaine, choose whatever else you want for the first half that sounds cool, ya dig? OK, gotta run and catch a plane somewhere, love ya, buh-bye."
Moving right along... In the category of "inspired programming," I gladly place three concerts:
Grieg Piano Concerto (October 18-20, 2008)
Carlos Kalmar, conductor; Valentina Lisitsa, piano
Smetana: The Moldau
Grieg: Piano Concerto
Golijov: Last Round
Revueltas: Homage to Federico Garcia Lorca
Ginastera: Estancia Suite
Three words: Sign. Me. Up. I love the triumvirate of short Spanish-flecked works (from Ginastera to Golijov). I don't know what the Grieg has to do with any of it, but I sort of don't care - it's pure joy of a piece. Same with the Smetana, which totally makes me bounce in my chair.
The Classical Guitar (February 7-9, 2009)
James Gaffigan, conductor; Eduardo Fernandez, guitar
Haydn: Symphony No. 83 (The Hen)
Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
Busoni: Elegiac Lullaby
Stravinsky: Firebird Suite
Why do I see this program and smile? Well, noting Jimmy Gaffigan at the podium is part of it. I love that it is pure eclecticism, with Rodrigo's rarely heard Concierto as the centerpiece, and Busoni's tear-streaked "Berceuse" a neat compliment to Rodrigo's own wrenching middle movement of the guitar concerto. The Haydn and Stravinsky are all flash and color. The package is a nice one.
Svoboda Premiere (March 14-16, 2009)
Carlos Kalmar, conductor; Freddy Kempf, piano
Svoboda: Vortex for Orchestra (world premiere)
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3
Brahms: Symphony No. 3
Aside from the ugly fact that the Symphony has programmed but one American or world premiere in their season - and that one premiere, by Portlander Tomas Svoboda, is also the sole work by a Northwest composer up all year - for many reasons I dig this mix, and not only for the book-ending third symphony congruence.
I'll end, because I should, with this thought from blogger and esteemed classical music publicist person Amanda Ameer, where she kinda wraps it up all perfect-like:
Administrators, think about your programming. Publicists, think about your pitches. Journalists, reward both efforts with equally interesting press coverage.
... If the Times stopped covering the Philharmonic's boring concerts, would the Philharmonic be forced to program differently? If the Philharmonic's publicity department told the artistic administrators, sorry, we can't pitch this, would the Philharmonic be forced to program differently?Chicken...egg...chicken...egg...
13 comments:
plenty of opinion to go around, huh? as a sometime symphony attendee, i'd like to weight in too.
1) is there anyone outside of the critics here that like carlos kalmar? i think he's not so special. are there no good american conductors any more to lead american orchestras?
2) i actually think the balance of music is ok this season around compared to what we suffered thru at the end of jimmy's tenure (rachmaninoff mania!!!!!) but i do agree they are lacking in imagination overall.
3) it is nice to see more people in the hall at concerts last year and so far this year. now we just need a damn decent hall. right?
Of course this posting was emailed to me for mentioning a one James Gaffigan. I commend you for taking on the old battleax of programming. If you ever want the "inside scoop" on how these things come to be from our perspective, I'd be happy to give you a run down. And by the way, your writing is great.
maybe you should do a little more research before writing your blogs. i just looked at the Oregon Symphony website and there is another piece on the Beethoven/Sibelius program. And maybe keep your thoughts to yourself and let the audience decide whether the programs are good after listening to them
Hey there anonymous 10:07 am, thanks for stopping by.
The Symphony added that additional piece to the Beethoven/Sibelius program after publishing their 08-09 program. Mea culpa for missing it on their website.
Your thought about muzzling arts criticism is alarming.
Cheers!
Excellent post. I love the "Charles and Elaine fill in the blanks" part...you have good info. That is how it works there....Buh- bye!!!
can we please discuss further the part about the symphony here only playing ONE world premiere this season?? and the rumor that it the amount of the commission was so low as to be a joke??
Hi anonymous 5:22 pm -
Not sure I can speak about the amount that composers are paid for commission's from the Oregon Symphony - that information is held very closely to the vest there.
RE the Symphony's only programming one world or American premiere this season, well... I'm guessing the defense will be that, in tough times, they can't afford to be shelling out bucks for new works when they're more concerned with simply filling the hall, period.
great great writing here, SMB. is anyone else in PDX providing such detailed analysis? you should be getting paid for it. throw up some google ads on the blog at least, for chrissake.
under carlos kalmar and elaine calder, the oregon symphony's on an upward trend financially and a downward trend artistically. ok ok ok so the orchestra sounds better than it did under depreist. ok ok ok so they're selling a ton of tickets.
but my interest in attending and supporting the symphony is a big zero until they actually show themselves to be capable of serious artistic ambitions.
recording projects with pink martini, though cute, don't cut it.
I don't think I can really defend the logic of an all-Tchaik program, but I do have to stick up for my sista, whose ballets and operas are rock-solid well past the hour mark. Sure, we don't need to hear the Nutcracker for the six billionth time (really, the Nutcracker??)—especially when it's with two other works by THE SAME COMPOSER—but performed individually, hardly anything our P.I.T. ever wrote is going to overstay its welcome.
I also have to sling some snark at the Concierto de Aranjuez, which I think is grossly over-programmed. It's a hit on classical radio, anyway—you'd think no one else had ever written a guitar concerto. So: lovely, yeah, but I'd rather see just about any other piece for guitar and orchestra up in there.
Hey, I think you're wrong actually.
I'd say EIGHT of the Oregon Symphony's programs are terrible.
Here are the ones I think suck it bigtime:
*Beethoven 9/Vaughan Williams
*Brahms Violin Concerto
*Beethoven/Sibelius
*The Classical Guitar (sorry, really disagree with you here)
*Jun Iwasaka Concerto Debut
*Bell Plays Mendelssohn (I bet that'll sell out in a heartbeat, though)
*Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
*All-Tchaikovsky Program
And what's the obsession with Itzhak Perlman? Retire the old dude already.
Stephen: as usual, my friend, you make some trenchant and much-needed points. Of course this is a huge, ongoing, nationwide issue that you and I have both discussed with other critics at the NEA classical music institute and elsewhere. I actually have quite a bit of sympathy for the OSO because they, like so many other American orchestras, are desperately trying to stay afloat in the face of a budget deficit and trying to hold on to the old audiences to tide them over while simultaneously trying to cultivate new ones. It's a tricky line to walk, given the high stakes and broken economic model still burdening American orchestras. As David Stabler has pointed out, the issue of making the OSO, or any orchestra, more relevant goes way beyond programming -- but programming is certainly a major part of this discussion.
I've been wanting to write about this in WWeek since even before I joined the paper, so if space can be found, I'm going to try to do so soon, though of course there's never enough room in print to give it the space it deserves. I welcome any further thoughts from you and your readers. Portland owes you a debt of gratitude for continuing to push our local arts institutions to be more relevant to contemporary audiences.
your ever-lovin' successor,
Brett Campbell
Great post.
I'm from Portland, but as someone involved in classical music, I don't live there because, honestly, as a composer what would I do?
I've been living in New York City, and I can honestly say the NY Phil is just as horrible at programming as the OR Symphony. Then, when something good manages to slip through the cracks, the elderly audience hates it (at the premiere of the Salonen Piano Concerto, a woman behind me kept loudly saying "I don't like it, too many notes. TOO MANY NOTES"), the conductor is rarely excited (especially if it's Maazel), and that makes the performers play sloppily. No wonder they don't program new works. But it's their own fault-- if the audience is not used to new works because they ONLY PLAY WARHORSES, how can audience members discover they actually might like Magnus Lindberg? Or that Jennifer Higdon, while not like Beethoven, is both exciting and accessible?
If there were a better mix of works programmed, I'd go constantly. As it is now, I go maybe 3 or 4 times a season. And I'd give them money if they would play John Adams more than once a season, but I know my money is only going to fund an all-Brahms festival, so why bother?
Thanks for letting me know about the Greig concerto this weekend. I'll be in Portland for a different concert on Friday and now I have something see on Saturday as well!
I haven't heard that piece in years, but I loved it years ago, so I should love it now. And that whole program looks interesting.
I was going to drive up from SF for the Antony concert, but Nico Muhly said don't do it, so I didn't. I shouldn't have listened to him.
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