Vienna orchestra is under threat
NewsThe Austrian national broadcaster ORF has informed the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra that it cannot continue to expect funding at present levels and will need to seek alternative finance.
The message s almost identical to the one delivered to the BBC orchestras by director-general Tim Davie.
It appears we are entering the dying age of radio orchestras.
The Vienna RSO, which has Marin Alsop as music director, plays subscription cycles in the Musikverein and Konzerthaus.
The Vienna Philharmonic has railled to its support, saying: ‘The RSO represents an irreplaceable and important cultural asset for Austria and far beyond the country’s borders, which has had a significant impact on musical life worldwide since its beginnings.’
Stefan Herheim, director of the Theater an der Wien, said: ‘The end of the orchestra would bring the MusikTheater an der Wien into serious artistic and financial difficulties and would be a fatal cultural and political signal in a country whose internationally recognized cultural legacy of institutions like ours is carried and preserved.’
Watch this space.
One can only expect such a decision from a National, i.e. state-owned and -operated broadcasting system in the same country where the Wiener Staatsoper is currently being led into disgrace by a so-called director whose respect for the genre OPERA has been sadly missing since he assumed the helm of the now sinking ship, where he is supposed to remain until 2030! This is cancel culture in its worse form!!!!
The coolest orchestra of the city 🙁
oy vey…more bad news
Perhaps this will motivate all the involved parties to remove Marin Alsop. The musicians drag themselves through the weeks in which she “conducts”. She has brought her woke programming to the orchestra. Music which has no merit or value whatsoever. She has no business being a chief conductor in one of the world musical capitals.
I’m sure this is about much more than Marin, but what exactly is “woke” programming? Scanning the couple months I see Ades, Ligeti, a run of Lulu. Plus Dvorak and such. What, pray tell, are you on about?
Same chap pops up on any story about Marin Alsop, spouting this crap. Always under different names but says practically word for word identical spiel with whichever orchestra name inserted in it… odd obsession, but there you go..
I think she’s quite decent and RSO is a damn fine orchestra.
“I think she’s quite decent…”
Err, em, uh, um, yes, the Vienna RSO is a damn fine orchestra!
It is clear that Karl Keller is not from Austria and he does not know the players the programm or the orchestras mission!
Karl, I own a copy of the awesome Hindemith CD the radio orchestra made with Alsop on Naxos from just a year ago. Pray tell, how is that “woke”. Also, they’ve recorded the Schumann symphonies in the Gustav Mahler ‘retuschen’.
Woke refers to being “awake.” American republicans (fascists) have turned this term into something evil because of their fear of waking up.
There’s something nostalgic about radio orchestras; they bring back memories of the live orchestra broadcasts in the US with Toscanini’s NBC orchestra, Bernard Herrmann’s orchestra on CBS. But given that radio is generally dying off and the massive libraries of recorded music, it surprises me that radio orchestras anywhere have survived so long.
More than nostalgic, at least in Europe, and especially in Germany, where radio orchestras are superb. In particular the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra is arguably an elite orchestra.
I actually wonder what a “radio orchestra” is these days. Do any of these orchestras actually play a concert in a studio, for a live radio audience? That was the original idea, I imagine.
Today most of them seem to play regular concerts just like anyone else. And of course now they can all be shared with the world via streaming.
Any excuse to help a great orchestra continue to thrive I will find a way to accept, but calling it the Bavarian Streaming Symphony Orchestra just lacks the same ring to it.
And Frankfort, I would posit.
Another world has been born. It has nothing to do with mine.
Nix mit Wien bleibt Wien.
Why irreplaceable? It’s services (which are in rapidly diminshing demand) are also provided by other orchestras in town, as well as guest orchestras. It’s an organisation for the few, supported by the many.
“for the few, supported by the many.”
If you would think that further, all higher art and culture was created over the history of mankind like that, by and for a few, not supported by the many.
Sure, if you want “for the many, supported by the many” then enjoy hiphop and football. What a shitty world that will be…
Governments at all levels have long supported a wide range of programs and institutions that only a small share of the public use. Some may use parks but not theater, some may use libraries but not public transit, etc. These things even out. If any program that only a small number use is seen as an illegitimate use of public dollars, forget about museums, zoos, public colleges, senior centers, arboretums, and dozens of others that make an “enlightened” society. Orchestras, radio or otherwise, belong to that category. You can’t only support those programs you personally like and cast out all the others. Or someone else will turn the machete on the ones you do want. What a sterile world we would have.
Perhaps part of the problem is that the Tonkunstler Orchester has really risen in stature. In fact, the ORF has been recording them in the Musikverein. The sound quality of those recordings is generally far better than what DG has managed to come up with there. They sound much more like what the hall truly sounds like in concert (it’s not an easy space to record well). They have a solid and steady conductor in Yutaka Sado, and get a number of really good guest conductors as well. I haven’t the slightest idea how the Tonkunstler is funded, but they seem to have been moving in the right direction.
*RSO – Rettet das Radiosymphonieorchester Wien!*
Das #RSO droht durch die Sparpläne des #ORF abgeschafft zu werden. Es ist ein wichtiges Orchester innerhalb der österreichischen Kulturszene und erfüllt zudem einen Bildungsauftrag. Es muss daher weiter bestehen bleiben!
Bitte unterzeichnet diese Petition für den Erhalt des RSO:
➡️ https://mein.aufstehn.at/petitions/sos-rso-rettet-das-radiosymphonieorchester-wien?source=whatsapp-share-email-button&time=1676988371&utm_source=whatsapp
Their proms debut last year was really impressive.
Now if we all got rid of facebook, instagram (etc) on our devices, stuff we don’t need at all, but “they” need to make us gullible, controlled customers, we would be one step closer to reclaiming the realm of creativity and humanity. Both, performers and audiences.
You first, sir. Lead us by example.
Some here are speculating about the reason for this, when it’s quite clear:
The funding model of the national broadcaster ORF has to be changed, with the consequence that its budget is being cut. The ORF simply has to save money and the RSO has become a target for these cuts.
It has nothing to do with the orchestra’s or Alsop’s performance.
Excellent points. What do we know about the ORF’s advertising revenue?
Maybe the audiences realize how boring Alsop’s performances are… but of course she’s a woman, so she can’t be criticized…