American Orchestras' Dismal Future

[MartinH]

Dvorak's Symphonic Variation are quite rare in American concert halls - from the professional to the amateurs. For amateur groups, about the only Dvorak they tackle is the last three symphonies, Slavonic Dances, maybe the violin concerto, the Carnival Overture -- and that's about it. I would love to play Noonday Witch, Water Goblin and some other music, but conductors by and large are far less knowledgeable about repertoire than people on this board. Ever tried to interest a conductor in Fibich?

[eschiss1]

btw, "Rusalka" (Dvorak's, I mean) is happening in Houston starting Saturday...

[eschiss1]

You are, on the whole, quite right. (I haven't the patience to try to interest anyone in anything, it should be fairly clear by now Unfortunately... and yes, I get your meaning, I'm just the wrong person to ask...)
I assume you meant to include the B minor cello concerto before the violin concerto in popularity
A few exceptions this year, besides Rusalka, include the "Othello" overture in Boston next Thursday, cello concerto in Pittsburgh next Friday (but see above), Vodnik/Water Goblin in NYC from Feb. 18-23, piano concerto in Cleveland in early March, scherzo capriccioso in Chicago Mar. 10/12/15, Polednice/Noon Witch in San Diego on April 1-3, American Suite in Washington DC April 28/30, Psalm 149 version 2 in Sacramento on May 14, Wood Dove in Cleveland May 19-22, etc.

[eschiss1]

As to the Symphonic Variations, the Prometheus Symphony in Oakland performed them on September 27, 2015, according to their homepage- or is this the performance we're both talking about, that you were in, and we've now come circle?

[MartinH]

Yep, Cello Concerto. Arizona Opera has announced Rusalka for next season, which is a greatly welcomed treat.

[Double-A]

As to the Symphonic Variations, the Prometheus Symphony in Oakland performed them on September 27, 2015, according to their homepage- or is this the performance we're both talking about, that you were in, and we've now come circle?

I deliberately did not name the orchestra in question (and I won't now), but it was not the Prometheus Symphony though geographically close enough for one program compiler to be copycat of the other...  (I suppose you could find it now; I count on it not being worth the effort).
As to my impression of the work:  I don't think the world is losing much by not hearing it (a characteristic it seems of Dvorak:  We once did a play through of all his quartets--spread over many evenings--and it is amazing how large the distance is between his sublime works and his weakest efforts, maybe larger than for any other composer of the 19th century, sung or unsung).

[eschiss1]

Maybe I should hesitate to ask where you place his last few quartets (nos. 9-11, 13, 14) but this is the wrong thread for that anyway