German orchestral merger

[amateur51]

How come that "guests" are now permitted to post with the same freedom as full members - even one suggesting to the other to start a new thread?

Either you're in, or you're out. In the case of one of these guests, "out and stay out" is long overdue in my opinion, for the amount of abuse that he has posted against fellow members and artists who have gained the respect and admiration of the public.

I am all in favour of reasonable debate but this particular problem is world wide - it will happen with Opera companies, Theatre companies and even Art Galleries and Museums in the coming years, and signing petitions will have no effect. It's about money. The whole of Europe is in recession and must save what it can for as many employees as possible. All the petitions in the world will not alter the grim realities of the situation. Try signing a few cheques.

HS

Funf has spoken

[MrGongGong]

I am all in favour of reasonable debate but this particular problem is world wide - it will happen with Opera companies, Theatre companies and even Art Galleries and Museums in the coming years, and signing petitions will have no effect. It's about money. The whole of Europe is in recession and must save what it can for as many employees as possible. All the petitions in the world will not alter the grim realities of the situation. Try signing a few cheques.

HS

I fear that this is the case.
I was at a meeting of various folk involved in a wide range of musics earlier this week and the future really does look bleak for many, the closure of UEA music department will not be the last. While music WILL , of course, carry on there are many passionate and talented young (and not so young) people who will now , through an attitude of ignorance and sheer arrogance, be disenfranchised. What do we say to those youngsters we meet who wish to become musicians yet happen to find themselves in the "wrong" school or with the "wrong" parents ? Whilst this has always been the case surely the whole point of having a state in the first place is to try and mitigate against these things ?

[salymap]

Funf has spoken

It's that man again

[Hornspieler]

I fear that this is the case.
I was at a meeting of various folk involved in a wide range of musics earlier this week and the future really does look bleak for many, the closure of UEA music department will not be the last. While music WILL , of course, carry on there are many passionate and talented young (and not so young) people who will now , through an attitude of ignorance and sheer arrogance, be disenfranchised. What do we say to those youngsters we meet who wish to become musicians yet happen to find themselves in the "wrong" school or with the "wrong" parents ? Whilst this has always been the case surely the whole point of having a state in the first place is to try and mitigate against these things ?

When I entered the profession in 1951, the BBC employed the following orchestras (not counting Dance Orchestras and Jazz)

BBC Scottish Orchestra
BBC Scottish Variety Orchestra*
BBC Northern Ireland Light Orchestra*
BBC Northern Orchestra
BBC Midland Light Orchestra*
BBC West of England Orchestra*
BBC Welsh Orchestra
(and in London)
BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Opera Orchestra (Now the BBC Concert Orchestra)
BBC Variety Orchestra*
BBC Revue Orchestra*

The Light Music Unit, consisting:
The Casino Orchestra+
Monia Liter's 20th Century Serenaders+
The London Light Concert Orchestra+
The Majestic Orchestra+

* These contracted orchestras no longer exist.

In terms of other opportunities:

Covent Garden Opera Orchestra
Sadlers Wells Opera (now ENO)
Carl Rosa Opera+
d'Oyle Carte Opera+
Glyndebourne Opera
Sadlers Wells Ballet (now Royal Ballet)
Ballet Rambert+
London Festival Ballet+

+ Since disbanded.

Cinemas were packed every night (Bournemouth alone had 10, not including Boscombe.)

BUT there was only one TV channel, (only broadcasting in Black and White )- and you were a rich man if your TV boasted bigger than a
10" screen

Now, after 60 years of innovation and progress, it is cheaper by far to watch a film, ballet or opera in the comfort of ones own home than to make that expensive (and sometimes perilous) journey through the darkness and the rain, as once we had to.

Signing petitions is a pointless exercise. We have to accept and move on.

HS

[salymap]

All very true HS but I still have good memories of visits to Opera and Ballet in the past that no amount of TV can equal.

I hope there will always be live performances for the young to experience, although the cuts are very
worrying.

Good evening, by the way

[Dave2002]

All very true HS but I still have good memories of visits to Opera and Ballet in the past that no amount of TV can equal.

I hope there will always be live performances for the young to experience, although the cuts are very
worrying.

Good evening, by the way

The sad thing is that many of the younger people don't seem to realise that attending live events is, almost without exception, better than radio or watching TV or DVds or Blu-Ray. That's notwithstanding the superb technical quality which will be available in a few years. (I saw an 83 inch wide ultra high definition screen a few days ago - few problems, but mostly - Wow!) I don't only mean music as we know it, but theatre, sport, live jazz, even pop concerts.

As for participation, who does that these days? It is, of course, more fun.

[MrGongGong]

I'm not sure that there is less live music happening at all
i suspect that there are far more events and that they are much more diverse than before
it certainly is different to the past
but that's always been the case .........

[David-G]

Do members actually "leave" the forum, as opposed to just ceasing to post? Why should anyone do so? To make a point of some sort?

[Hornspieler]

The sad thing is that many of the younger people don't seem to realise that attending live events is, almost without exception, better than radio or watching TV or DVds or Blu-Ray. That's notwithstanding the superb technical quality which will be available in a few years. (I saw an 83 inch wide ultra high definition screen a few days ago - few problems, but mostly - Wow!) I don't only mean music as we know it, but theatre, sport, live jazz, even pop concerts.

As for participation, who does that these days? It is, of course, more fun.

Yes Dave, But we are talking about Radio Orchestras here.

This forum has 1,339 full members. Judging by the recent evidence of comment and revews submitted by those who have listened
"Live on 3" at the actual time of transmission, the percentage of that membership is less than 0.005%.

One might argue on that basis that Radio Orchestras are an unneccesary expense. There are more than enough top quality symphony orchestras in this country to provide all the "Live on 3" broadcasts that the general public need.

In America, the Columbia Symphony Orchestra, which gave those wonderful concerts under Bruno Walter, or the NBC Symphony Orchestra under Toscannini were abandoned by their respective sponsors a long time ago. How long before the BBC adopt the attitude of "cheaper to hire from outside when needed"? They've already done that with the Proms Audio and TV coverage.

It's time to defend our own Radio orchestras and we can do that by starting to "listen live" to what BBC Radio 3 offers us.

Leave the Football to Gary Linekar. Leave the Weather to the Met Office. Leave Politics to the Members of Parliament.

Let's all just concentrate of Radio 3 and its contribution to Music and the Arts.

HS

[salymap]

I usually go to bed early and so miss the live concerts if they are in the evening. I often listen on iplayer if a work interests me and I wouldn't comment unless something new is played. Anyway Jayne and HS usually cover all the concerts before I hear them

Under 2000 people on the MBs and I doubt that the BBC take any/much notice of what we listen to. And HS, you men tioned the wider forms of opera and ballet yourself.
I had friends in severalof the orchestras and I don't like to see cut-backs any more than you do.

[Richard Tarleton]

This forum has 1,339 full members. Judging by the recent evidence of comment and revews submitted by those who have listened
"Live on 3" at the actual time of transmission, the percentage of that membership is less than 0.005%.

It's time to defend our own Radio orchestras and we can do that by starting to "listen live" to what BBC Radio 3 offers us.

HS you must allow for those of us who might listen without feeling we had anything useful to say about a particular concert - the critical bar is set quite high here, after all

I'm very selective about what I listen to when it comes to orchestral concerts - I'm much more omnivorous when it comes to chamber or instrumental, eg Live from the Wigmore Hall or LSO St Lukes. I'm a big fan of the BBC NOW, and try to get to their concerts whenever they're playing anything that interests me.

[BBMmk2]

I listen to mainly iplayer, but there are times when R3 has some concerts I can stay up for, as I have to get up rather early for work.

[teamsaint]

Thee BBC is very big on telling us the various ways we can enjoy their content, both live and otherwise.

I seldom listen live to the evening concerts, for "lifestyle " reasons, but I do often catch up with them later.

[aeolium]

More news on the planned merger of two German orchestras:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/nov/26/cuts-merger-swr-symphony-stuttgart-radio-orchestras

The letter of opposition to the merger signed by 160 international conductors is in German but it should be possible to get a translation in some way e.g. through Google.

[DublinJimbo]

More news on the planned merger of two German orchestras

There's also another initiative from opponents to the merger, which is a proposal to turn the Baden-Baden und Freiburg orchestra into a Stiftung (Foundation).

Details.