Classical music concerts

If classical music is in serious decline, one factor might be the unbelievably tedious programming policies of some orchestras. Masur is coming to Dublin with -- hold your breath -- a Brahms symphony and a Brahms concerto. Breath out. Noseda is doing three concerts for BBC Radio 3 this week and he's doing -- wait for it -- two Tchaikovsky symphonies in each programme. Numerous Proms this year will contain 'variations' on the overture, concerto, symphony plan. This is tedious. Classical composers wrote symphonic poems, arias, songs, short concerted pieces, dances, etc. Why not open a second half with a couple of Strauss waltzes, continue with the Litolff Scherzo (which is hardly ever played these days because it's not a symphony or overture, and we don't want to hear the whole work in which it occurs), and finish with a Liszt tone poem? Another programme could start -- when the audience is fresh and 'up for it' -- with a symphony and then, in the second half, we might like to hear something a little easier, such as the concert suite from Korngold's music for the film Seahawk. I see nothing infra dig in such programming. Far from it, I like a mixture of long and short works and would like to see contrast extended to include occasional solos or chamber groupings to give the orchestras a break. What I really don't want to see much more of is that dull dog Masur giving us endless concerts comprising a symphony and a concerto by the same composer. What a very unimaginative conductor he is (and not alone!).