Poor Bruckner.

Before I begin, I want to incorporate one of the all time most famous pictures painted by a famous Italian, just to make a point:

Surely you recognize this! Now art is art and whatever the artist gives you is what you should get. You shouldn't be forced to accept an edited version chosen by someone who filters what you see. I shouldn't be putting in just part of of the Mona Lisa, though in your memory you probably see the rest with your mind's eye anyway. But what about this one:

Not as obvious, I suppose. Is your mind's eye missing something. It is a famous picture. or at least part of it.

Now what about music. When a composer produces a piece of art, it is what they write and should be view as a whole. But consider poor old Anton Bruckner, one of the composers ofter referenced as one who produces "Cathedrals of Sound": long majestic symphonies. He did 9 numbered symphonies, along with an early "Study" symphony and one number 0. Listen to it sometime and you'll pick out Bruckner right away.

Now look at this table of broadcasts of his symphonies from a sampling of classical FM radio stations around the country:

symphony:               "Study"  #0  #1  #2  #3  #4  #5  #6  #7  #8  #9
----------------------  -------  --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Minneapolis, MN(CL24):                            *
Seattle, WA(KING):         1      2   5   2   6   3*  2   5   1*  2   4
Los Angeles, CA(KUSC):                1   7   1   6*  3*  1   2*  4   3*
Denver, CO(KVOD):                                 1   5           1   1
Birmingham, AL(WBHM):                                 1           1   1
Cincinnati, OH(WGUC):                             1*      1           1
New York, NY(WQXR):               2   5       1   3*      1   6*  1   1

Notice the asterisks, *, which indicated that the station chose not to broadcast the entire symphony, but rather just one or two movements. Those in the upper midwest listening to CL24 are only provided with a snippet like the second art fragment above, not the entire beautiful "Romantic" symphony that Bruckner worked so long and hard on. It's a shame that stations choose to do this. Why, I wonder, and can conclude that what Bruckner did was violate the station's operating premise, short works only.

Clearly the two coasts "appreciate" Bruckner more, and middle America needn't bother to listen to Bruckner.

Recognize the second art fragment? Its from "The persistance of memory" by Salvador Dali.