What happened to really good orchestras ?

Seems like they are going away?

The same thing that happened to really good MDR service and meals, creative shows, libraries, etc.

Never have seen an orchestra on a cruise ship. Plenty of bands playing to enhance a recorded music track. I think 8 instruments is the largest iv'e seen

Varies by cruise line.

Keith

Cunard still has what they call an orchestra, although giving it the name doesn't necessarily make it so. I doubt that many cruises line could afford an orchestra on every ship. Nor would they necessarily need anything more than a decent sized band, unless they were performing full classical concerts every evening.

Seems like they are going away?

Oceania usually has a versatile 5-8 person band along with live piano at Martini's and string quartet at varying locations during the day.

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Never have seen an orchestra on a cruise ship. Plenty of bands playing to enhance a recorded music track. I think 8 instruments is the largest iv'e seen

For it to be an orchestra, traditionally, it must have strings, bass, percussion and woodwind represented, so I suppose there can be a four-man orchestra; while a true symphony orchestra has dozens of musicians.

Our first cruise was on the Carnival Glory in '06. The band was very good. Also on the Solstace, which was outstanding as well. Sorry to agree that entertainment has declined. Perhaps some Filipino groups might help. . .just sayin'

I've noticed the cutbacks on string players. There used to be string quartets. Lately I've seen duos. Sometimes they perform with recorded background tracks. One of the worst things they do, in my opinion, is fake playing along with the click track during production shows.

We see the same thing on land with orchestras, operas, and all manner of classical music offerings. Total attendance at LAO member orchestra performances declined by 10.5% between 2010 and 2014 (the most recent data, published in November 2016 - presumably we'll see the next quadrennial report late in 2020), and that is despite the fact that number of performances only declined by 2%. The Philadelphia Orchestra declared bankruptcy in 2011; New Mexico Symphony orchestra as well; the New York City Opera in 2013; Boston Classical Orchestra in 2016; San Antonio Orchestra in 2017. Honolulu, Louisville, Syracuse, Albuquerque symphonies, as well. The Philadelphia Orchestra eventually emerged from bankruptcy, but the size of the orchestra was cut, and there were severe across-the-board pay cuts, as well - something previously unheard of among the Big Five orchestras, evidence of severe erosion at the top along with the catastrophic failures below. When Louisville emerged from bankruptcy, its season was 14% shorter. Given all that, it's amazing to me that we still see as much classical music offered aboard cruise ships as we do still see.

The demand for lower fares killed live music and other ammenities. When an iPod replaces four musicians their cabins can then be sold. And what is the point of having a formal dance orchestra when your passengers demand casual evenings? Too few passengers still want traditional traditional shipboard elegance and formality.

We see the same thing on land with orchestras, operas, and all manner of classical music offerings. Total attendance at LAO member orchestra performances declined by 10.5% between 2010 and 2014 (the most recent data, published in November 2016 - presumably we'll see the next quadrennial report late in 2020), and that is despite the fact that number of performances only declined by 2%. The Philadelphia Orchestra declared bankruptcy in 2011; New Mexico Symphony orchestra as well; the New York City Opera in 2013; Boston Classical Orchestra in 2016; San Antonio Orchestra in 2017. Honolulu, Louisville, Syracuse, Albuquerque symphonies, as well. The Philadelphia Orchestra eventually emerged from bankruptcy, but the size of the orchestra was cut, and there were severe across-the-board pay cuts, as well - something previously unheard of among the Big Five orchestras, evidence of severe erosion at the top along with the catastrophic failures below. When Louisville emerged from bankruptcy, its season was 14% shorter. Given all that, it's amazing to me that we still see as much classical music offered aboard cruise ships as we do still see.

Interesting statistics: particularly when viewed alongside the increase in earnings of popular music performers and producers. It is not so much a lack of resources as a change in society's tastes and values.

Having a musician husband, I can attest that there is no 'increase in earning", unless you are some major "star"...on major tour circuits. "Unknowns", like most talent, is still being paid about the same as in the last 25 years.

Having a musician husband, I can attest that there is no 'increase in earning", unless you are some major "star"...on major tour circuits. "Unknowns", like most talent, is still being paid about the same as in the last 25 years.

The total aggregate earnings of pop, rap, hip hop, etc. musicians are much higher now than 25 years ago when you figure on the numbers in the business; while the total earnings of classical musicians have remained stagnant (if not actually declined) in the same period when you recognize the reduction in the number employed.

Classical music is clearly not the aggregate money-generating line of work that is popular. And top paid individual performers in popular music earn huge multiples of what classical musicians earn.

There is a similarity between the music industry and the cruise industry - as each has expanded, the quality has deteriorated.

We did a TA on Holland America a few years ago and they had a fantastic string quartet of young musicians from Eastern Europe. I am not normally into that type of music, but we found ourselves attending almost every day for their afternoon concert. They were very talented and also extremely engaging with the passengers.

We booked last year's TA round trip based on dates available for the cruise [and almost needed to invoke trip insurance anyway].

We were pleasantly surprised to find that the eastbound leg had the English 'National Symphony' onboard - including two concert evenings, afternoon performances and a very well attended lecture with conductor Anthony Inglass

No cruises in the schedule this year - but our next one will be another TA round trip and the National Symphony will be on the eastbound leg.

Seems like they are going away?

Have you seen any dining establishments or clubs with really good orchestras ashore? Other than your local symphony they don't exist.

There is a similarity between the music industry and the cruise industry - as each has expanded, the quality has deteriorated.

I disagree on both accounts. With regard to the music industry, the quality is the same; the standards of quality have changed.

 

...

 

If the "standards of quality have changed" , how can it be that "the quality is the same"? Don't the "standards" of a thing define that thing?

If the "standards of quality have changed" , how can it be that "the quality is the same"? Don't the "standards" of a thing define that thing?

No.

Standards are the criteria by which quality is judged.

Quality is the extent to which standards are achieved.

When standards change, quality may change without the subject changing.

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Orchestra players cost money so they were all fired.

DON

Never have seen an orchestra on a cruise ship. Plenty of bands playing to enhance a recorded music track. I think 8 instruments is the largest iv'e seen

I would settle for a good band. The last one that I saw was Blood Power and that was several years ago. They had 7 or 8 man orchestras 15 years ago, but they are gone on the cheap ships that we sail now.

Orchestra players cost money so they were all fired.

 

DON

Several times on HAL cruises in the last decade we were entertained by an Opera singer .Much to my surprise I saw him at a restaurant in my area.He said that he and other singers/musicians were no longer hired because the cruise lines preferred to go with the ship's talent.

Varies by cruise line.

 

Keith

ABSOLUTELY! (y)

No.

 

Standards are the criteria by which quality is judged.

 

Quality is the extent to which standards are achieved.

 

When standards change, quality may change without the subject changing.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

Thank you for the (unnecessary) definitions. The fact remains: when the standards by which quality is judged decline, that quality surely declines. And, if the quality of a subject changes, that subject certainly changes.