Comments on: More on short concerts http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/ Roger Bourland writes about music and life Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:45:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.10 by: Brad Wood http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/#comment-80142 Wed, 14 May 2008 21:19:58 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/#comment-80142 The downside of short concerts is that some will grouse that they are being shortchanged (I've overheard this at Pacific Serenades concerts sometimes, even as long as they often are). But the cost of the hall, musicians, instrument rentals, program printing and mailings, and the other amounts of effort required, usually won't go down much at all when concerts are made shorter. So ticket prices can't be proportionally reduced, and before you know it attendance will fall off, or worse, prompting Al Gore to attribute it to global warming. At least in the Pac. Ser. case, the new work is at the end of the first half. At that, I've almost always stayed for the second segment and been delighted, even as I look about me and see other stalwart listeners' attentions flagging. But a Schoenberg Hall concert a while back, with some considerable amount of new music, did fill my brain after the first half. That coupled with some deadline pressure did provoke my departure, and I thereby missed what I would have loved to hear, a doubtless-outstanding performance of Verklärte Nacht. The downside of short concerts is that some will grouse that they are being shortchanged (I’ve overheard this at Pacific Serenades concerts sometimes, even as long as they often are). But the cost of the hall, musicians, instrument rentals, program printing and mailings, and the other amounts of effort required, usually won’t go down much at all when concerts are made shorter. So ticket prices can’t be proportionally reduced, and before you know it attendance will fall off, or worse, prompting Al Gore to attribute it to global warming.

At least in the Pac. Ser. case, the new work is at the end of the first half. At that, I’ve almost always stayed for the second segment and been delighted, even as I look about me and see other stalwart listeners’ attentions flagging.

But a Schoenberg Hall concert a while back, with some considerable amount of new music, did fill my brain after the first half. That coupled with some deadline pressure did provoke my departure, and I thereby missed what I would have loved to hear, a doubtless-outstanding performance of Verklärte Nacht.

]]> by: JannieSue http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/#comment-80110 Sun, 11 May 2008 09:11:10 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/#comment-80110 Short concerts, yes! Shorter plays too. Am I the only one or is it sometimes hard to listen to one's own music? As you said, depending on mood, etc? Don't usually do Wordpress, stumbled on your nuggety blog. I'm at http://www.janniefunster.com Goodnight. Jannie Short concerts, yes! Shorter plays too.

Am I the only one or is it sometimes hard to listen to one’s own music? As you said, depending on mood, etc?

Don’t usually do Wordpress, stumbled on your nuggety blog.

I’m at http://www.janniefunster.com

Goodnight.
Jannie

]]> by: Paul Chihara http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/#comment-80055 Wed, 07 May 2008 14:23:51 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2008/05/07/more-on-short-concerts/#comment-80055 I agree. And getting to events in LA can be an adventure in itself, what with the great distances and traffic. The events are often wonderful (as last night's was) -- but the stress of attending them (and getting back safely in the same evening) takes some of the fun our of everything. Can we find a smaller LA somewhere? (I miss Manhattan!) I agree. And getting to events in LA can be an adventure in itself, what with the great distances and traffic. The events are often wonderful (as last night’s was) — but the stress of attending them (and getting back safely in the same evening) takes some of the fun our of everything. Can we find a smaller LA somewhere?

(I miss Manhattan!)

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