What Lincoln Center plans to do with its pieces of Avery Fisher silver

What Lincoln Center plans to do with its pieces of Avery Fisher silver

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norman lebrecht

November 14, 2014

They’re erasing the founder’s name for 30 pieces of silver. Now what? Watch. Despair.

(Click on word ‘Post’ if video does not pop out)

avery fisher hall

Comments

  • Diana Medford says:

    Avery Fisher was not the “founder” of Philharmonic Hall. He donated what was in 1973 a very large sum to fund renovations of the existing auditorium and in exchange Lincoln Center renamed the building after him. (Fisher had a reputation for modesty and reportedly was diffident at having his name put on the structure.)

    It seems clear that Mr. Fisher’s intention here was to have his money used to the best advantage of the Philharmonic and Lincoln Center; that is, his primary focus was not on building himself a pyramid. Lincoln Center has negotiated with Mr. Fisher’s heirs so that he will continue to be given recognition in the new (and newly-named) structure. The alternative would be to have his name permanently affixed to an antiquated and increasingly disused structure. Do you you honestly think the altruistic Mr. Fisher would have wanted that?

  • stopthemusic says:

    You’d think that the FIsher family would be in a rush to get their father’s name off the world’s worst concert hall. (Provincial concert halls in the former East Germany have better acoustics than this!). But I question their accepting money from Lincoln Center to remove their name: they should willingly donate that sum to the construction of the new hall. And I DO MEAN A NEW HALL. As George Szell said “Tear it down and start over” — He didn’t say to redesign or redecorate it, which is what was done with Avery Fisher’s money, and which certainly made it “different” but in no way improved it. The current structure is a DUD and should be leveled to the ground and rebuilt.

  • yjtsui says:

    Oh. My god!

  • Martin Bookspan says:

    Beg to differ with the statement that there is no equivalent to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I don’t recall the exact date (it probably was in the 1970s) but an American Classical Music Hall of Fame was dedicated in Cincinnati. Each year it adds deserving new names, determined by an elite advisory board, to its roster of honorees.

    Full disclosure: I am among those who have been inducted.

  • Martin Bookspan says:

    It is really I, Blair!

    Pardon my ignorance….what does Lmao stand for?

    (P.S.) I’m given to understand that up to this point I am the only broadcaster to be so honored.

  • Larry says:

    Laughing My (rear end) off!

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