Time over quality

I've always view Beethoven as arguably the greatest symphonist. Yes, Mozart was a wonder, Brahms unbeatable, Mahler incomparable, Shostakovich profound, etc, etc. But Beethoven! What can one say?

Now you would think that his symphonies would be broadcast a lot on the radio and you would be right. However, when it comes time to see what Beethoven symphonies get broadcast, things change.

Symphony No 1 in C, opus 21 was written in 1800 and is a nice, pleasant work that marked Beethoven as a symphonist. His Opus 125 Symphony #9 in d, the famous "Choral", was written between 1822 and 1824 is a masterpiece. It's mature Beethoven and it was earthshaking. Years ago the New York radio station WQXR would end the year with a count-down of the "top 100". The last piece, the "number one piece" would be broadcast to end just at midnight in New York. It was always Beethoven's 9th.

Today, however, the 9th isn't broadcast much. Using data from my www.classicalfmradio.org's 'Interesting report on broadcast symphonies', one finds that by mid-June 2006, the 9th symphony has been broadcast on the Denver station KVOD only 3 times in all of 2006, while the nice little symphony #1 has been broadcast 15 times. WQXR in New York has 8 broadcasts for #1 and 3 for #9 and KING in Seattle has 7 broadcasts for #1 and also 3 for #9.

Why the disparity. The "Choral" was what was performed with the wall fell in Berlin! It's almost
featured time and time again. Yet, classical FM radio stations don't seem to think the 9th is worth broadcasting. I'm guessing, but I think they think it's TOO LONG. Serious music, to be broadcast to the obviously impatient listening audience, must be short.

Quality must be quick!