[Trombone-l] Cleveland Orch Trombone Article in newspaper

[Daniel Pliskin]

Have any of you seen Man Facing South West?  There’s a scene in there where 
this “man”, from outer space, takes over conducting the local orchestra, 
which is trying to play some classical piece.  Only he conducts it as a 
waltz instead of in 4/4.  The piece comes alive and so does the crowd.  It’s 
also a cool movie.

There was a time, not too long ago, when there was no radio, no television, 
no CDs, LPs, etc.  And in those times, every town had its own orchestra.  
These groups consisted of anyone who could pick up an instrument.  And most 
of the “classical” music that we hear today was written for such a group.

I was sitting in the zocalo, in Oaxaca, having my morning cafe con leche, 
when the local band started playing at the other end of the square.  They 
were playing a bandified  [sp? 8?) ] version of a Boradine piece and it was 
fabulous.  It was kind of like the scene in Man Facing South West (just in 
case you thought that I couldn’t keep on topic for more than a paragraph).  
And the crowd loved it.

I’m also reminded of a CD, Un Gran Dia En El Bario, by The Spanish Harlem 
Orchestra.  The CD is HOT, but perhaps the best thing about it is that they 
are playing together, as a group.  Contrast that with Cubanismo, where Jesus 
Alemany is always a little too sharp and a little too loud.  Granted, he’s 
the leader of the group, but he’s always a bit too in your face, for me.

In conclusion, for those who have put up with my rambling, I think that 
orchestras have lost their mission.  If a fight amongst the audience makes 
news, it’s because not enough commoners get to hear orchestras.  Orchestras 
have become too big and too precious.  And their sound has become 
monolithic, in the process.  It’s sad that those few really good classical 
musicians don’t get to play with other really good classical musicians in 
those select orchestras, but it doesn’t surprise me that the major 
orchestras are having trouble making ends meet.  They have failed to play 
for the masses for so long that there aren’t enough people who know and like 
orchestras, to support orchestras.  They operate as if selling enough CDs is 
going to keep them afloat and that’s not going to happen.

DanP

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