Classic case of attention deficit disorder at CSO

By Ian Warden
Updated April 18 2018 - 11:08pm, first published June 15 2012 - 3:00am


What if, to pander to shrivelled modern attention spans, the Canberra Symphony Orchestra led by effervescent chief conductor Nicholas Milton presented bonsaied, elfin, much-shortened versions of great works? The fabulously popular Andre Rieu is doing this (in performance and on record) to great middle-class commercial acclaim. What if, for example, the CSO's forthcoming performance of George Gershwin's An American in Paris (performed with, as well as an orthodox array of instruments, a taxi horn, tom-toms, three different sorts of saxophones and a xylophone) lasted for an undemanding three minutes instead of Gershwin's relatively demanding 20?

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