That Bartok remains far from easy listening for some was clear: “Let’s hear a melody now,” one audience member growled as the orchestra settled in for its encore
Jesus wept. No melody in the Concerto for Orchestra?!?! I can hum at least 3 kick-ass tunes right off the top of my head. It’s like the the two people that were complaining about “that awful modern music” one night at a concert, as we walked out for the intermission. That horrible racket had to be Birtwistle or Boulez or Stockhausen, right?
No, it was Strauss’ Don Juan. Sorry people, tuneful music didn’t die with Beethoven, shocking as that may seem.