So what are we playing?

The votes are in (from 08-09 anyway...)

I always find interesting reading in the repertoire reports generated by the League of American Orchestras.  The only problem I encounter is that the data therein is usually at least two seasons old; that axiom holds true for the most recent data contained on the organization's website.  Thus, I am left commenting upon programming information from the 2008-09 season of our American orchestras.  Still, the trends are sometimes intriguing and illuminating, the latter not always in a positive light.

There's a shock....NOT!

From the 2008-09 season, the "Top Ten" most performed composers were (drum roll, please):

1. Beethoven
2. Mozart
3. Brahms
4. Tchaikovsky
5. Dvorak
6. Mendelssohn
7. Ravel
8. Stravinsky
9. Rachmaninoff
10. Haydn

The next ten (the League includes a "Top Twenty" list in every category) includes few surprises except that three Americans (Copland, Bernstein and Barber) find their way into the list.  Of course the data reveals two striking and irrefutable facts:  all these composers are male and all of them are dead.

Then there are the top ten works performed.  No surprises here either.

1. Beethoven:  Symphony No. 5 (83 performances)
2. Beethoven:  Symphony No. 7 (77)
3. Tchaikovsky:  Symphony No. 5 (73)
4. Brahms:  Violin Concerto (71)
5. Tie:  Brahms:  Symphony No. 1 and Dvorak:  Symphony No. 9 (65)
6. Rachmaninoff:  Symphonic Dances (64)
7. Beethoven:  Piano Concerto No. 5 (58)
8. Beethoven:  Piano Concerto No. 4 (55)
9. Tie: Ravel:  Bolero and Brahms:  Symphony No. 2 (52)

Here the second ten includes no Americans and another bunch of dead white guys.  Holst (Planets), and Elgar (Cello Concerto) finally appear on a top list.

#1 American - dead

#2 American - he's dead too, as are 3-5.

The League also generates a list of those American composers whose works have been most performed.  Are you ready?

1. Copland
2. Bernstein
3. Barber
4. Gershwin
5. Ives
6. Adams
7. Higdon
8. Anderson, Leroy
9. Daugherty, Michael
10. Corigliano, John

So, of the top ten Americans, the top five are dead and only one is a woman AND a composer of novelties (Leroy Anderson) makes the cut.  The second ten is more representative of living composers although Joan Tower is the only other woman to appear.

The Top Twenty most performed American works is just the same old fare:

1. Barber:  Violin Concerto (39)
2. Bernstein:  Candide Overture (36)
3. Barber:  Adagio for Strings (33)
4. Bernstein:  Symphonic Dances from West Side Story (30)
5. Gershwin:  Concerto in F
6. Tie:  Copland:  Fanfare for the Common Man and Gershwin:  Rhapsody in Blue (24)
7. Gershwin:  American in Paris
8. Tie:  Barber: Overture to School for Scandal and Copland:  Appalachian Spring Suite (21)

John Adams (b. 1947)

The next ten is rife with similar stuff although John Adams (an old work: Chairman Dances - Foxtrot) and Joseph Schwanter (Chasing Light, which was guaranteed a large number of performances because of its Ford "Made in America grant and 58 co-commissioners) weigh in to represent living composers.  Woman are noticably absent from the list.

Joseph Schwantner (b. 1943)

So....therein is the data.  It at least establishes a point of discussion that I plan on following for the next few posts (and beyond).