Where's the outrage?

I'm exhausted. I was up until 2:00am playing with my Father's Day present--and loving every single minute of it. That means I'm going to be lazy today as far as this place goes. You've heard some of it before (Do I repeat myself? Very well then, I repeat myself), but I'm going to go ahead and post a letter I recently sent Tim Page, music editor at The Washington Post (nice guy--he likes Orff too):

Dear Tim ~

I’m your friend who also likes Orff--you may remember me? In any case, I read your article this morning on “PBS's Classical Conversations.” I’ll be watching.

I lost your e-mail address as I am getting ready to move out of this goddess-forsaken place (not city), and my surroundings look like the Great God of Chaos spit-up in here. Anyway, your article reminded me of something that genuinely more than annoys the Hell out of me about D.C.: the “Classical” radio station. I can’t remember the call letters as I stopped listening to it years ago and only tune in on occasion (I usually listen to the Baltimore station--better music, and a British woman DJ with a voice like buttah). Shortly after I arrived here I would listen to the D.C. station in my car during the dreadful commute into the city. I mean, really, how much Johann Christian Bach (of all composers!) can one listen to? So I innocently e-mailed the program director about where was the Shostakovich, the Adams, the Hanson, the Prokofiev, the Stravinsky, the Rorem, the Russo, the Gottschalk, as well as the Orff--and where the Hell was Copland? And why couldn’t we hear a full symphony or concerto?

I was unfamiliar with how D.C. works then. I didn’t realize that no one takes a poop here without favorable polls. The program director wrote back snippily telling me, “We only play what our listeners want to hear. Our polls tell us that this is what they want to hear.” Give me a break. That station doesn’t love Classical Music--they whore it out. After that I had a six-CD player installed in my car. I mean a taste of Petrushka is going to drive the listeners away?

I’ve always been accustomed to stations that were devoted to a rich variety of classical music--giving listeners a rich variety of experiences. Tastes range, you know. Someday I hope you’ll take them to task over their narrow-minded approach to music, and shame them into crawling out of their own minds (and polls!).

I’m so glad I’m moving. D.C. has cost me a lot of money in CD’s. That’s my rant for today. Keep up your terrific work. Chip away at the musical deedle-deedle darkness that pervades this place. I’ll be far away, but rooting for you. As always, my warmest

Best wishes,