My initial impulse in the Repertoire Report project came from frustration observing the difficult of getting a clear or even honest answer from teachers, famous conductors , artist managers or orchestra administrators when many of my fellow students at workshops and festivals would ask things like “how many pieces does a working professional conductor need to be able to learn and perform in a year?” The numbers, when offered, were often comically inflated- “Oh, I suppose I generally conduct 300-400 works a year, but don’t be intimidated- I only do about 250 of those from memory.” Over the last few years, we’ve seen that for most big time conductors we’ve looked at, the norm is 75-125 works per year, with some who do a great deal of opera much lower and probably a few crazies much higher.
now that we’ve got a few years of data to work with, we can go farther, and see where repertoire overlaps from season to season and get a much better sense of how often the old favourites turn up and how often one is preparing pieces that are either completely new or haven’t been done in a long time. One would expect almost no overlap, especially in consecutive years, from a single orchestra- you can’t expect audiences to come to the same programs year after year. On the other hand, a freelance conductor like me, who works with many orchestras every year, might have some rep overlap, and a soloist, probably has mostly overlap. It would be very rare for a concerto soloist to add more than a couple of major solo works with orchestra per year.
An analysis of 2007-2009 is here.
This table compares repertoire from 2010 to 2009. Pieces from 2009 that were repeated in 2010 are highlighted in yellow. Only five works from 2009 re-appeared in 2010. That makes for 162 separate works between 2009 and 2010. In other words, 94% of the pieces played in 2010 were not played in 2009.
However, there are some similarities between the two seasons- the Schumann content is almost exactly complimentary for example- Symphonies 2 and 4 in ’09, 1 and 3 in ’10; Konzerstucke, Overture, Scherzo and Finale and Bride of Messina (GREAT piece) in ‘09 Violin, Cello and Piano Concertos and Manfred Overture in ’10. Two Shostakovich works in each year, one Rossini Overture, five Beethoven Symponies in 09, six in’10. There’s Mahler in both years, more in ’10, but an even split of vocal works and symphonies in both. One Wagner Overture per year seems to be a comfortable number right now. It starts to look like I have a balanced yearly repertoire diet-if only it were so elegantly planned.
This table compares repertoire from 2010 to the three previous years. Pieces that appeared in any of the previous seasons are highlighted in red. 19 pieces in 2010 had appeared sometime in 2007-9, although two of those (the Schumann and Elgar Cello Concertos) had me working one time as cellist and another time as conductor. Add it all up, we have a four year sampling with 279 works. That means 79% of 2010 repertoire had not been done in the previous 3 years. This makes sense, as one would expect standard and favourite works to loop back into repertoire over a 3-4 year time period.
Over four years, we’re up to 279 pieces, compared to 206 last year. Out of 317 slots, that means onl7 38 pieces have been done more than once. In other words, a piece is likely to be unique in the 4 year window 88% of the time.
To my surprise, I’ve also found this analysis helpful in seeing where reality and perception align and diverge in terms of how I see my own artistic life. It may surprise readers to know that for most conductors, programming is a painful and frustrating process, filled with sacrifice and compromise. As I cellist, I can pick up the Bach Suites any day and play them, but if I long to conduct the complete Brucker symphonies (which I do), that means convincing boards and players to let me. Every time one announces a season, more dreams are delayed or destroyed than fulfilled. On the other hand, looking at this list, I can see that somehow, I’m making good progress with some composers, even where others are suffering. The last four years have been good for Beethoven and Mozart (no surprise there, although I think Marin Alsop did no Beethoven symphonies in 2009) with 21 works each. Haydn is doing well at 16- hopefully he can pass Mozart soon. Elgar was far less prolific than any of those three Classical masters, so 8 works represents a pretty healthy chunk of his output, not bad! I’m also pretty pleased with Schumann and Mahler’s representation.
Other composers dear to me, however, have not been lucky. Bartók has been completely absent. This makes me crazy, but I get tremendous (and completely incomprehensible) resistance when trying to program his music. Bruckner? One symphony is not enough! Tchaikovsky- only one symphony once in 4 years? That seems very odd? And why so much Malcom Arnold? It’s not that I dislike his music, but I hardly got into music to do 5 times as much Arnold as Bach or Bruckner!
What trends do fellow conductors see in their own work? What trends do you see in mine? Should I be doing more opera or more new music (I’d say yes to both)? Please take a moment to leave your thoughts and insights in the comments!
KW- Repertoire Report 2007-2010
1- Arnold- Guitar Concerto
2- Arnold- Scottish Dances
3- Arnold- Piano Trio # *
4- Arnold- The Inn of Sixth Happiness
5- Arnold- Serenade for Guitar and Strings
6- Bach- Goldberg Variations (arr. Sitkovetsky for string trio) (5)
7- Barber- Adagio for Strings
8- Beethoven- Egmont Overture
9- Beethoven- Leonore Overture No. 2
10- Beethoven- Coriolan Overture
11- Beethoven- Fidelio Overture
12- Beethoven- Leonore Overture no. 3
13- Beethoven- Romance no. 1 for Violin and Orchestra
14- Beethoven arr. Mahler- String Quartet in F Minor Op. 95 “Serioso”
15- Beethoven- String Quartet in F major, op 18 no. 1 *.
16- Beethoven- Piano Trio in D Major, op. 70 no. 1 “Ghost” *
17- Beethoven- Piano Concerto no. 4
18- Beethoven- String Trio in C minor, op 9 no 3.
19- Beethoven- String Trio in G major, op 9 no. 1 VC
20- Beethoven- String Trio in D Major, op 9 no. 2 (5)
21- Beethoven- Symphony no. 1 (2)
22- Beethoven- Symphony no. 2 in D major
23- Beethoven- Symphony no. 3 “Eroica” (more here and here)
24- Beethoven- Symphony no. 4
25- Beethoven- Symphony No. 5 in C minor
26- Beethoven- Symphony no. 6 in F Major “Pastoral”
27- Beethoven Symphony no. 7
28- Beethoven- Symphony no. 8 in F major
29- Berlioz- Carnival Romaine Overture
30- Berlioz- Overture “Le Corsaire”
31- Bloch- Concerto Grosso no 2.
32- Bloch- Schelomo: Hebraic Rhapsody for Cello and Orchestra
33- Bloch- Suite for Cello and Orchestra
34- Brahms- Clarinet Quintet *
35- Brahms- Academic Festival Overture
36- Brahms- Piano Concerto no. 1 in D minor
37- Brahms- Double Concerto in A Minor for Violin and Cello *
38- Brahms- Hungarian Dances no.’s 1,3,5
39- Brahms- Serenade in D Major, op 11
40- Brahms- Symphony No. 1 in C minor
41- Brahms- Symphony no. 2 in D major
42- Brahms- Symphony no. 4 in E minor
43- Brahms- Variations on a Theme of Haydn
44- Britten- Simple Symphony
45- Brown– Novara (Welsh Premiere)
46- Bruch- Violin Concerto
47- Bruckner- Symphony no. 4 in E Flat Major “Romantic”
48- Chambers, Evan- String Quartet “Three Memories”
49- Chambers- The Tall-Eared Fox and the Wild-Eyed Man (UK Premiere)
50- Chopin- Piano Concerto no. 1 in E minor
51- Copland- Appalachian Spring (13 Instrument Version) m #
52- Copland- Suite from “Rodeo”
53- Copland- Quiet City
54- Debussy- Cello Sonata VC
55- Debussy- Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun
56- Debussy- Nuages and Fetes from Three Nocturnes
57- Andrew Devine- Faith
58- Dohnanyi- Serenade for String Trio VC
59- Downie– forms 7 (World Premiere Commission)
60- Dvorak- Cello Concerto (soloist)
61- Dvorak- Romance for Violin
62- Dvorak- Husitska Overture
63- Dvorak- Serenade for Winds
64- Dvorak Slavonic Dances op 46 and 72
65- Dvorak- Symphony no. 7 in D minor (review)
66- Dvorak- Symphony no. 9 “From the New World”
67- Elgar- Cello Concerto in E Minor VC
68- Elgar- Cockaigne Overture
69- Elgar- Serendade for Strings
70- Elgar- Introduction and Allegro
71- Elgar- Sea Pictures
72- Elgar- Symphony no. 1 in A flat Major
73- Elgar- Variations on an Original Theme (Enigma), Op. 36
74- Elgar- Violin Concerto
75- Espinosa- Movement for Strings (World Premiere)
76- Fauré- Suite from “Pelleas and Melisande”
77- Franck- Symphony in D minor
78- Gal- Concertino for Violin and Strings
79- Gal- Concerto for Violin and Chamber Orchestra
80- Gal- Serenade for String Trio op 41 (9)
82- Gal- Triptych
83- Gershwin- An American in Paris
84- Ginasterra- Harp Concerto
85- Glinka- Kamarinskaya
86- Glinka Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla
87- Gregson- Trombone Concerto
88- Grieg- Piano Concerto in A Minor
89- Handel- Messiah (complete)
90- Haydn- Cello Concerto no. 1 in C major
91- Haydn- Cello Concerto no. 2 in D major
92- Haydn- Trumpet Concerto
93- Haydn- Sinfonia Concertante for Oboe, Bassoon, Violin and Cello
94- Haydn- Symphony no. 45 “Farewell”
95- Haydn- Symphony no. 49 “La Passione”
96- Haydn- Symphony no. 59 in A Major, “Fire Symphony”
97- Haydn- Symphony no. 60 “Il Distratto”
98- Haydn- Symphony no. 72
99- Haydn- Symphony no. 82 (“Bear”)
100- Haydn- Symphony no. 86 in D Major
101- Haydn- Symphony no. 92 “Oxford
102- Haydn- Symphony no. 94 “Surprise”.
103- Haydn- Symphony no. 100 in G Major “Military”
104- Haydn- Symphony no. 101 “The Clock
105- Haydn- Symphony no. 104
106- Higdon- Soprano Saxophone Concerto
107- Hoddinott- Investature Dances
108- Honegger- Symphony no. 4
109- Hovaness- String Trio
110- Humperdinck- Hansel and Gretel Overture
111- Ives- Symphony no. 3
112- Janacek- Quartet no 2 “Intimate Letters” *
113- Janacek- Pohadka for Cello and Piano VC
114- Janacek- Taras Bulba
115- Khatchaturian- Violin Concerto
116- Khatchaturian- Sabre Dance
117- Klein- String Trio
118- Kodaly- Summer Evening
119- Kodaly- Dances of Galanta
120- Kodaly- Intermezzo for String Trio
121- Krasa- “Tanec” for String Trio
122- Krasa- Passacaglia and Fugue for String Trio (2)
123- Martin Kutnowski- Clarinet Quintet (Canadian premiere)
124- Martin Kutnowski- How Toad Got his Spots
125- Joanna Lee- The Chronicles of Archy (world premiere) (interview here, news item here)
126- Linkola- Two Miniatures for Piano Trio # *
127- Mahler- Ruckert Lieder
128- Mahler (arr. Schoenberg)- Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen
129- Mahler- Symphony No. 1 in D Major
130- Mahler- Symphony no. 3 in D minor
131- Mahler- Symphony no. 4 in G major
132- Mahler- Symphony no. 5
133- Mahler/ arr. Schoenberg- Das Lied von der Erde (Chamber orchestra version)
134- Mefano- Interferences (Mendelssohn-
135- Piano Trio in D minor UK Premiere)
136- Mendelssohn- Songs Without Words
137- Mendelssohn- Hebrides Overture
138- Mendelssohn- Violin Concerto in D minor
139- Mendelssohn- Violin Concerto in E minor
140- Messiaen- Louange a l’eternite de Jesus from“Quartet from the End of Time” *
141- Mozart/Bach- Adagio and Fugue in D minor for String Trio
142- Mozart- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
143- Mozart- Clarinet Quintet
144- Mozart- Gran Partita for Winds
145- Mozart/Wendt- Harmonie from Figaro
146- Mozart- Overture to La Clemenza di Tito (2)
147- Mozart- Impresario Overture
148- Mozart- Overture to “Die Zauberflote” #
149- Mozart- Overture to Marriage of Figaro
150- Mozart- Piano Quartet in E-flatr Major # *
151- Mozart- Requiem
152- Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major
153- Mozart- Piano Concerto in A major K 488
154- Mozart- Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola (2)
155- Mozart- Symphony no. 13
156- Mozart- Symphony no. 31 “Paris” (2)
157- Mozart- Symphony no. 34 in C major
158- Mozart- Symphony no. 38 in D Major “Prague”
159- Mozart- Symphony no. 39 in E-flat
160- Mozart Symphony no. 40 in G minor
161- Mozart- Symphony no. 41 in C Major
162- Mussorgsky- A Night on Bald Mountain
163- Mussorgsky (arr. Ravel)- Pictures at an Exhibition
164- Niccolai- Overture to the Merry Wives of Windsor (2)
165- Nielsen- Helios Overture
166- Piston- Sinfonietta
167- Prokofiev- Concerto No. 5 for Piano and Orchestra . .
168- Prokofiev- Violin Concerto no. 2 in G minor
169- Prokofiev- Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major VC
170- Prokofiev- Violin Concerto no2 in G minor
171- Prokofiev- Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major VC
172- Prokofiev- Selections from Romeo and Juliet, Suites 1 and 2
173- Prokofiev- Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 2
174- Prokofiev- Lt Kije Suite
175- Poulenc- Sinfonietta
176- Puccini- Madama Butterfly +.
177- Rachmaninov – Isle of the Dead
178- Rachmaninoff- Sonata for Cello and Piano
179- Rachmaninoff- Symphony no. 1 in D minor
180- Ravel – La valse
181- Ravel- Mother Goose Suite
182- Ravel- Tombeau de Couperin
183- Rossini- Cenerentola Overture
184- Rossini Overture Il Signor Bruschino
185- Rossini- Overture “Tancredi”
186- Rossini- Overture to Barber of Seville.
187- Rozsa- Ben Hur
188- Saint-Saens- Cello Concerto in A minor
189- Saint-Saens- Cello Concerto no. 2 in D minor
190- Saint-Saens- Violin Concerto no. 3 in B minor
191- Sarasate- Ziguenerweisen
192- Sawyers- Gale of Life (UK Premiere)
193- Philip Sawyers- Symphony no. 2
194- James Schlefer- Concerto for Shakuhachi and Chamber Orchestra
195- Schinittke- String Trio
196- Schubert- Quintet in C major for Two Violins, Viola and Two Cellos
197- Schubert- Overture in D Major in the Italian Style
198- Schubert- Trio Satz in B-flat
199- Schubert (arr Mahler/Woods)- Quartet in D minor “Death and the Maiden”
200- Schubert- Symphony no. 4 in C minor “Tragic”
201- Schumann- Genoveva Overture
202- Schumann- Piano Concerto in A minor
203- Schumann- Violin Concerto
204- Schumann- Cello Concerto in A minor
205- Schumann- Konzertsucke for Four Horns
206- Schumann- Overture, Scherzo and Finale
207- Schumann- Overture to “Bride of Messina”
208- Schumann- Manfred Overture
209- Schumann- Symphony no. 1 “Spring”
210- Schumann- Symphony no. 2 in C (2)
211- Schumann- Symphony no. 3 in E-flat, “Rhenish”
212- Schumann- Symphony no. 4 in D minor
213- Shostakovich- Chamber Symphony op. 73a
214- Shostakovich- Chamber Symphony op 83a
215- Shostakovich- Festive Overture
216- Shostakovich- Concerto no. 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings
217- Shostakovich- Piano Concerto no. 2
218- Shostakovich- Sonata for Cello and Piano
219- Shostakovich – Symphony No 6
220- Shostakovich- Symphony no. 7 “Lenningrad” (posts here, here and here)
221- Sibelius- Finlandia
222- Sibelius- Valse Triste
223- Sibelius- Violin Concerto
224- Sibelius- Symphony no. 2 in D major
225- Sibelius- Symphony no. 5 in E Flat
226- Kile Smith- Thrice Blest (6)
227- Kile Smith- The Bremmen Town Musicians
228- Sousa- The Liberty Bell
229- Strauss- “Artist’s Life” Waltz
230- Strauss: “Blue Danube” Waltzes,
231- Radetzky March
232- J Strauss Jr- Overture to “The Gypsy Baron”
233- J Strauss Jr- “Long Live the Magyar” Polka Schnell
234- Strauss- Tritsch Tratsch Polka’
235- Strauss- Emperor Waltzes
236- Strauss- “Thunder and Lightning” Polka
237- Johann Strauss Jr (arr Schoenberg)- Emperor Waltzes
238- Strauss- Death and Transfiguration
239- Strauss, R- Oboe Concerto
240- Strauss, R- Romanze for Cello and Orchestra
241- Strauss, R- Serenade for Winds, op 7
242- Strauss, R- Cello Sonata VC
243- Strauss- Concerto No. 1 for Horn
244- Strauss- Horn Concerto no. 2
245- Ri chard Strauss- Metamorphosen
246- Richard Strauss- Variations uber “‘s Deandl is harb auf mi”
247- Stravinsky- Octet for Winds +
248- Stravinsky- L’histoire du soldat
249- Stravinsky- Symphonies of Wind Instruments (original version)
250- Stravinsky- Suite from “The Firebird” (1919 Version)
251- Suppé- Overture to “Poet and Peasant”
252- Telemann- Don Quioxte
253- Tchaikovsky- Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy Overture
254- Tchaikovsky- Andante Cantabile for Cello and Strings*
255- Tchaikovsky- Souvenir de Florence *
256- Tchaikovsky- Rococo Variations for Cello and Orchestra
257- Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35
258- Tchaikovsky- Quartet no. 3 in E flat minor
259- Tchaikovsky- Symphony no. 4 in F minor
260- Thomas- “Primordial Monkey Soup” for Cello Quartet and Solo Viola (World Premiere) *
261- Christopher Thomas- Snapshots (world premiere)
262- Vaughan Williams- Overture to “The Wasps”
263- Vaughan Williams- The Lark Ascending
264- Vaughan Willilams- Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
265- Vaughan-Williams- Symphony no. 5
266- Varese- Octandre
267- Verdi- Aida
268- Verdi- Il Trovatore
269- Verdi- Otello
270- Vivaldi- Four Seasons
271- Wagner- Die Meistersinger Overture (2)
272- Wagner- Rienzi Overture.
273- Wagner- Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde
274- Walton- Facade (2)
275- Walton- Variations on a Theme of Paul Hindemith
276- Williams- Suite from Star Wars
277- Xenakis– Akrata (Welsh Premiere
278- David Yang- Lubin from Chelm
279- David Yang- Two Brothers from Chelm
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