Posted by Rick Denney on July 01, 2003 at 14:43:06:
In Reply to: Re: "How to Kill Orchestras" - NY Times posted by Joe Baker on July 01, 2003 at 13:32:48:
Actually, orchestral music has not made this mistake, only orchestras have. If you go to the movies, you will hear first-rate orchestral music, some of which is extremely modern, that is not narcissistic, etc.
I've often wondered why orchestras don't make deals with Hollywood. One reason, I'm sure, is that the folks who make programming decisions are the narcissistic ones, thinking movie music is beneath them except on a pops program.
I would think that most of the big Hollywood composers would arrange concert suites if the big orchestras would play them or ask for them. Tchaikovsky did it with the movie music of his era (ballet), so why wouldn't Hollywood composers? There are ownership issues, but I'd bet that would be easy to work out in the end.
Would an orchestra attract more audience from younger people if it had the Batman Suite, or something like that? I bet it would. Heck, if an otherwise obscure 65-year-old film in Russian can fill the orchestra halls with a live orchestra playing the soundtrack, then movies younger folks can relate to should do likewise.
Rick "thinking there is more orchestra music out there than people will admit" Denney