And the "rarely performed" (not quoting you, quoting Welsh National Opera's website's archived promotional for their 2013/4 season performances) "Moses und Aron" seems actually to be staged rather often, though since I go to too few concerts, I have no way of knowing whether the seats are nearly-empty, or otherwise...
"All very interesting, Jeffrey - except the examples you mention are of contemporary opinions to new music. It does not need me to remind people of the words of Mahler, who effectively said ‘my time will come’ regarding his music. Perhaps one day people will laugh at how so few people appreciated the music of Birtwistle, Ades and Boulez during their lifetimes - however I am not sure I would"
That's true about Mahler, Ned but maybe people should be reminded that Schoenberg was of the opinion that, "One day", people would be singing his music in their bathrooms. It could well have been the case if you'd passed by the bathrooms of the late Hans Keller or Sir William Glock you might have caught the strains of Moses und Aron issuing forth but, generally speaking, what Schoenberg predicted hasn't happened and people still prefer Carmen.
As for Messrs. Birtwistle, Ades and Boulez there could come a time when their output gains a widespread appeal but I'm inclined to think that they will be numbered among those thousands of other composers in music history (maybe like Cecil Gray or Mason) who thought their own works of significance but whose day quickly passed and who are now hardly remembered at all.
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