People of course like to pigeonhole (the English Mahler) but the more you hear of a composer’
s works, the more differentiated a view of them one has. Of course if no-one does anything except a few things that are done to death it’s hard to get much of an overview – which is where your post comes in. Orchestras need conductors like you with a real passion for a composer, who will nag them to programming that composer more widely & deeply. More power to your bowing arm!

As a philistine, it feels to me as if a handful of composers have been subsumed by their nationalities or politic, and their music’s reputation has suffered for it. Elgar, here, is known as much for being English as a composer, and the most famous recordings of his work seem to be by British performers. It may rub American audiences the wrong way, and start out with that taste in our mouths. Perhaps his celebrity during life, at least in England, has a bit to do with America’s distrust of Elgar.

And, Elgar’s a lot of work. The All-Elgar program was a bear. And let me show you the Walton Viola Concerto excerpts I copied out of the parts one day (for study purposes only–not something you see lying around somewhere). And, of course, an American orchestra is never going to sound like a British orchestra, not matter if they drink like a German orchestra, no?

Or, maybe we’re just lazy.

I can understand Hanson issues – politically, that is. Piston I have no idea why. You would also think such a force as Sessions you would be hearing his Symphonys on the A orchestras but nada. Its a disgrace.

How about an English Composers Series or Festival? Anything from that period is tops in my listening list.

Sadly, you’re also right in your cost-benefit analysis of doing these works. There is only so much room in a season for non-standard works, and the way things go these days the extra space will be taken up by a B-level concerto or two so orchestra principals can get their star turns, a new(ish) American work commission by the orchestra or an associated organization, the obligatory preciously-named piece by the composer in residence, or even a work by a local composer or orchestra member. Then for many groups there’s film score night, pops night, kiddie night, etc. All that has to be considered before a conductor can even think about looking at Elgar 1. And then the preconceived notions you mention rear their ugly heads, followed by the technical and practical obstacles. Do programmers think the audience won’t be interested because of that bad reputation? Fortunately you don’t. But it’s not surprising that a lot of this music will fail the cost-benefit analysis in many music director’s minds. I’m not saying I agree with that perspective, of course, but it’s probably pretty common.

It would be great to see a wider variety of interesting works chipping away at the Three B’s and the Three M’s. Thankfully there are more and more conductors like yourself willing to lead a bit of cultural change rather than fall victim to it. After all, it’s not like performing these pieces would be a risk. If it’s done well, the audience will respond to good music. It’s more about taking control over the experience rather than letting fashion dictate forever.

As for Hindemith, “Mathis der Maler”, please.

You might consider looking at Gordon Jacob’s orchestral arrangement of the Organ Sonata as being a somewhat more manageably-sized Elgar orchestral piece. Normally, I bridle at conductors who program transcriptions of organ music (don’t they have enough rep of their own?), but in this case I don’t mind – the Sonata is really orchestral music that happens to have been composed for organ. I play the piece occasionally, but it’s never really satisfying as there are no organs in my area capable of really bringing the piece off with the appropriate colours.

I fear your question is a bigger one that mine- I was just looking for reasons we hear the cello concerto and Enigma more than everything else of his put together. I’m sure it’s not quality or Englishness….

Otherwise, your list runs the gamut- Honnegger, Piston and Nielsen are all hard to play, and Piston certainly suffers for having written all those books in the eyes of administrators and players. I have a hard time doing Hanson because of his worse-than-Orff politics and his refusal to help Bartok. Delius is pretty sleep stuff- you have to be awfully relaxed to get through it. Walton should be done more, but all the major pieces- the three concertos, the symphonies and the Hindemith Variations (what a FAB piece) are all super tough, too….

We’re trying, though…

BTW- Walton Cello Concerto is on my “will play for beer money” list of cello concertos I am dying to play. Don’t listen to received wisdom- it is an even better piece than the Viola Concerto. If you need a cheap cellist who knows and loves the piece, please call us!

K

Why don’t we hear more Walton or Tippett or Bridge or Perry or Delius in the US?

Then again why don’t we hear more Honegger, Dohnyani, Ginastera, Hanson, Nielsen, or even Piston?

I don’t believe its a technical issue is it with all these folks?