Austerity Measures Prompt German Battle of Bands

By ⋅ July 12, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment
SWF orchestra Baden-Baden in 1964 (Photo: Bundesarchiv/Wiki Commons)

SWF orchestra Baden-Baden in 1964. (Photo: Bundesarchiv/Wiki Commons)

There is something of a “battle of bands” going on in Germany. Because of austerity measures, officials plan to merge two publicly funded orchestras in the southwestern part of the country.

The question is, which town gets to host the merged orchestra: Baden Baden or Freiburg? Neither wants to lose an orchestra and people in both town are singing about it.

Discussion

One comment for “Austerity Measures Prompt German Battle of Bands”

  • http://twitter.com/hlwdphil Hollywood Phil.Orch.

    The recorded 20-or-so opening bars from Richard Strauss’ Thus Spake Zarathustra that is performed a few times in the famous movie 2001:  A Space Odyssey was actually Herbert von Karajan conducting The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, not the Southwest German Orchestra that was the main subject of your article.  Stanley Kubrick selected that specific selection and most of the music, but not all of it heard in the movie, is played by the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra.
    — Ronald Zapen, Music Director & Conductor, Greater Hollywood Philharmonic Orchestra