[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: What if they gave a Concert and nobody cared?

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
What if they gave a Concert and nobody cared?
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1216836712.shtml


   The Minnesota Orchestra has [1]canceled the final Lake Harriet
   appearance of that season. The reason given: budget cuts. Lack of
   interest would be a better diagnosis.
   The old Minneapolis Symphony won national acclaim fifty years ago,
   under conductor Antal Dorati. But back then, live music had a clear
   edge over the highest of high fidelity equipment, both recording and
   playback. It was the age of monoaural and vacuum tubes. Stereo and
   "solid state" didn't really come along until the early 1960's.
   Today, the situation is reversed. Top flight recordings can be more
   faithfully enjoyed on top flight equipment than a live concert, with
   all the quirks of acoustics, crowd noise, and jet aircraft passing
   overhead. These recordings travel instantly around the globe, meaning
   you can access the world's best musicians. Just as video killed the
   radio star, CD's, DVD's, HD, and 7.2 Surround Sound have eliminated
   the need for most local orchestras, including our own Minnesota
   Orchestra.
   Patrons quietly throw a little money in the pot but most of the money
   comes from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the National Endowment
   for the arts. A few more millions come from income off its own $90
   million endowment.
   Apparently the patrons don't put enough in to meet the Orchestra's
   expectations, nor should they be expected to if they don't value the
   product that highly. Obviously, the Orchestra could take a few
   thousand from their endowment to at least finish this year's 2008
   Harriet Band Shell series. Perhaps past attendance in mid-September
   told them it was time to limit it to the good old summer time.
   In general, however, the time has come to gently and gratefully retire
   this once rich tradition, now largely an anachronism.

References

   1. http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_9961960?source=rss