stewedprune Posted March 20, 2018 #1 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Seems like they are going away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted March 20, 2018 #2 Share Posted March 20, 2018 The same thing that happened to really good MDR service and meals, creative shows, libraries, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlp20 Posted March 20, 2018 #3 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Never have seen an orchestra on a cruise ship. Plenty of bands playing to enhance a recorded music track. I think 8 instruments is the largest iv'e seen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted March 20, 2018 #4 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Varies by cruise line. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mom says Posted March 20, 2018 #5 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Cunard still has what they call an orchestra, although giving it the name doesn't necessarily make it so. I doubt that many cruises line could afford an orchestra on every ship. Nor would they necessarily need anything more than a decent sized band, unless they were performing full classical concerts every evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatbush Flyer Posted March 20, 2018 #6 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Seems like they are going away? Oceania usually has a versatile 5-8 person band along with live piano at Martini's and string quartet at varying locations during the day. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted March 20, 2018 #7 Share Posted March 20, 2018 Never have seen an orchestra on a cruise ship. Plenty of bands playing to enhance a recorded music track. I think 8 instruments is the largest iv'e seen For it to be an orchestra, traditionally, it must have strings, bass, percussion and woodwind represented, so I suppose there can be a four-man orchestra; while a true symphony orchestra has dozens of musicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewedprune Posted March 21, 2018 Author #8 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Our first cruise was on the Carnival Glory in '06. The band was very good. Also on the Solstace, which was outstanding as well. Sorry to agree that entertainment has declined. Perhaps some Filipino groups might help. . .just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare geoherb Posted March 21, 2018 #9 Share Posted March 21, 2018 I've noticed the cutbacks on string players. There used to be string quartets. Lately I've seen duos. Sometimes they perform with recorded background tracks. One of the worst things they do, in my opinion, is fake playing along with the click track during production shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted March 21, 2018 #10 Share Posted March 21, 2018 We see the same thing on land with orchestras, operas, and all manner of classical music offerings. Total attendance at LAO member orchestra performances declined by 10.5% between 2010 and 2014 (the most recent data, published in November 2016 - presumably we'll see the next quadrennial report late in 2020), and that is despite the fact that number of performances only declined by 2%. The Philadelphia Orchestra declared bankruptcy in 2011; New Mexico Symphony orchestra as well; the New York City Opera in 2013; Boston Classical Orchestra in 2016; San Antonio Orchestra in 2017. Honolulu, Louisville, Syracuse, Albuquerque symphonies, as well. The Philadelphia Orchestra eventually emerged from bankruptcy, but the size of the orchestra was cut, and there were severe across-the-board pay cuts, as well - something previously unheard of among the Big Five orchestras, evidence of severe erosion at the top along with the catastrophic failures below. When Louisville emerged from bankruptcy, its season was 14% shorter. Given all that, it's amazing to me that we still see as much classical music offered aboard cruise ships as we do still see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueRiband Posted March 21, 2018 #11 Share Posted March 21, 2018 The demand for lower fares killed live music and other ammenities. When an iPod replaces four musicians their cabins can then be sold. And what is the point of having a formal dance orchestra when your passengers demand casual evenings? Too few passengers still want traditional traditional shipboard elegance and formality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted March 21, 2018 #12 Share Posted March 21, 2018 We see the same thing on land with orchestras, operas, and all manner of classical music offerings. Total attendance at LAO member orchestra performances declined by 10.5% between 2010 and 2014 (the most recent data, published in November 2016 - presumably we'll see the next quadrennial report late in 2020), and that is despite the fact that number of performances only declined by 2%. The Philadelphia Orchestra declared bankruptcy in 2011; New Mexico Symphony orchestra as well; the New York City Opera in 2013; Boston Classical Orchestra in 2016; San Antonio Orchestra in 2017. Honolulu, Louisville, Syracuse, Albuquerque symphonies, as well. The Philadelphia Orchestra eventually emerged from bankruptcy, but the size of the orchestra was cut, and there were severe across-the-board pay cuts, as well - something previously unheard of among the Big Five orchestras, evidence of severe erosion at the top along with the catastrophic failures below. When Louisville emerged from bankruptcy, its season was 14% shorter. Given all that, it's amazing to me that we still see as much classical music offered aboard cruise ships as we do still see. Interesting statistics: particularly when viewed alongside the increase in earnings of popular music performers and producers. It is not so much a lack of resources as a change in society's tastes and values. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted March 21, 2018 #13 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Having a musician husband, I can attest that there is no 'increase in earning", unless you are some major "star"...on major tour circuits. "Unknowns", like most talent, is still being paid about the same as in the last 25 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted March 21, 2018 #14 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Having a musician husband, I can attest that there is no 'increase in earning", unless you are some major "star"...on major tour circuits. "Unknowns", like most talent, is still being paid about the same as in the last 25 years. The total aggregate earnings of pop, rap, hip hop, etc. musicians are much higher now than 25 years ago when you figure on the numbers in the business; while the total earnings of classical musicians have remained stagnant (if not actually declined) in the same period when you recognize the reduction in the number employed. Classical music is clearly not the aggregate money-generating line of work that is popular. And top paid individual performers in popular music earn huge multiples of what classical musicians earn. There is a similarity between the music industry and the cruise industry - as each has expanded, the quality has deteriorated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexspepa Posted March 22, 2018 #15 Share Posted March 22, 2018 We did a TA on Holland America a few years ago and they had a fantastic string quartet of young musicians from Eastern Europe. I am not normally into that type of music, but we found ourselves attending almost every day for their afternoon concert. They were very talented and also extremely engaging with the passengers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOldBear Posted March 22, 2018 #16 Share Posted March 22, 2018 We booked last year's TA round trip based on dates available for the cruise [and almost needed to invoke trip insurance anyway]. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the eastbound leg had the English 'National Symphony' onboard - including two concert evenings, afternoon performances and a very well attended lecture with conductor Anthony Inglass No cruises in the schedule this year - but our next one will be another TA round trip and the National Symphony will be on the eastbound leg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted March 23, 2018 #17 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Seems like they are going away? Have you seen any dining establishments or clubs with really good orchestras ashore? Other than your local symphony they don't exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted March 23, 2018 #18 Share Posted March 23, 2018 There is a similarity between the music industry and the cruise industry - as each has expanded, the quality has deteriorated.I disagree on both accounts. With regard to the music industry, the quality is the same; the standards of quality have changed. With regard to the cruise industry, the industry has broadened vertically. Cruises that satisfy the standards of quality to which you refer still exist, where they belong: aboard the ships of cruise lines the analog for which didn't exist 35 years ago. Seabourn was founded in 1986. Crystal Cruises in 1988. Regent Seven Seas in 1990. Silversea in 1994. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted March 23, 2018 #19 Share Posted March 23, 2018 I disagree on both accounts. With regard to the music industry, the quality is the same; the standards of quality have changed. ... If the "standards of quality have changed" , how can it be that "the quality is the same"? Don't the "standards" of a thing define that thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bUU Posted March 23, 2018 #20 Share Posted March 23, 2018 If the "standards of quality have changed" , how can it be that "the quality is the same"? Don't the "standards" of a thing define that thing? No. Standards are the criteria by which quality is judged. Quality is the extent to which standards are achieved. When standards change, quality may change without the subject changing. This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldsc Posted March 23, 2018 #21 Share Posted March 23, 2018 Orchestra players cost money so they were all fired. DON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clackey Posted March 24, 2018 #22 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Never have seen an orchestra on a cruise ship. Plenty of bands playing to enhance a recorded music track. I think 8 instruments is the largest iv'e seen I would settle for a good band. The last one that I saw was Blood Power and that was several years ago. They had 7 or 8 man orchestras 15 years ago, but they are gone on the cheap ships that we sail now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted March 24, 2018 #23 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Orchestra players cost money so they were all fired. DON Several times on HAL cruises in the last decade we were entertained by an Opera singer .Much to my surprise I saw him at a restaurant in my area.He said that he and other singers/musicians were no longer hired because the cruise lines preferred to go with the ship's talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted March 24, 2018 #24 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Varies by cruise line. Keith ABSOLUTELY! (y) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted March 24, 2018 #25 Share Posted March 24, 2018 No. Standards are the criteria by which quality is judged. Quality is the extent to which standards are achieved. When standards change, quality may change without the subject changing. This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos. Thank you for the (unnecessary) definitions. The fact remains: when the standards by which quality is judged decline, that quality surely declines. And, if the quality of a subject changes, that subject certainly changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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