Press Release: CBSO's 'Bold New Vision' published 30/11

[cria]

This is work in progress & some things read like brainstorming after a liquid lunch. But the future is bleak & orchestras have to find new, viable business models.

https://cbso.co.uk/press/new-cbso-leadership-announce-bold-plan

[smittims]

I'm relieved that this didn't happen when I was going to CBSO concerts, and that it's happened too late in my life for it to make any difference to me. So I won't offer any criticism of the details of what they're going to do. But I feel for any young person getting interested in classical music who just wants to listen to the music. I suppose there's always Radio 3 or cheap CDs.

[french frank]

Where to begin? I feel for the people who have the responsibility to ensure the orchestra remains viable; and for any members of the orchestra, ditto audiences, whose passion is for classical music. But it does reek of young 'ideas personnel' brought in with a focused mission to create something new which will ensure the continuation of the CBSO in some form or another. It seems a bit like a juggernaut crushing the already fairly clearly expressed preferences of some audiences. It may be a nail in the coffin of classical music. But who knows?

[Ein Heldenleben]

This will at least have the merit of demonstrating whether a radical approach will attract new audiences. I very much doubt it because young people aren’t exposed to classical music much at all except through film and game soundtrack - and that’s not really classical music . The danger is that the trad audience will be alienated and just not come . The other danger is that the musicians don’t engage with it as it could be a big distraction . I don’t have that much of a problem with most of it but if it meant dumbing down the repertoire that’s another matter.
Not a popular opinion to express but classical music (in this country at least ) has largely , but not exclusively, been the interest of a small section of an intelligent elite (for want of a better word). Even at University there weren’t many with any interest outside the music undergrads and choral members. Rock and heavy metal ruled the roost - rather to my surprise. And I had a similar experience in my career in an organisation which must be one of the largest funders of classical music in Britain, Elites aren’t in favour so I guess we have to “suck it up “ to use the demotic phrase. I wouldn’t mind making one of the short films though. Always wanted to film with a symphony orchestra but never had the budget. It’s an ill wind ….

[smittims]

I couldn't help linking this in my mind with what I heard in an interview with Marin Alsop on Radio 4 this morning. She is conducting a 'hot gospel' 'version' (or arrangment) of Messiah, called Too hot to Handel. We were told it is to be broadcast on Radio 3 later this month.

If this (and the CBSO plan) is to be the future of classical music I am left feeling a little bewildered. There have of course been many attempts to increase audiences, going back into the 19th century with the S. James' Hall 'pops', the 'Boston Pops', the Queen's Hall Proms, the New York Philharmonic 'Rug Concerts' the Hollywood Bowl ,etc. But the music was always played 'straight' i.e.as the composer intended , never changed in an attempt to make it 'relevant' (and yes, Marin Alsop did use this word). This is more like the various adaptations of Carmen, using (or 'Using') some at least of Bizet's score to get more people to buy tickets, but paying scant respect to the music itself.

Of course they will say that traditional fuddy-dudy stick-in-the-mud pedants and purists have their much-treasured CDs to retreat to. But one doesn't have to go back to Beecham. When Chris Hogwood and Trevor Pinnock revitalised Messiah it was done by going closer to the composer's intentions. And it's available to all on YouTube etc.

I'm old enough to remember Mozart 40, a 'beat' version of the first movement exposition of K550;. I didn't think it did much for Mozart. So what is it all about?