Each January, Bachtrack publishes statistics for its listings for the year just ended. In 2014, we listed over 25,000 events cementing our position as the No.1 site for classical events. This enables us to see trends in concert halls worldwide. Who are the most performed composers? The busiest orchestras? The most popular operas?
See our full infographic here.
Conductors are getting younger
2014 saw the loss of several leading conductors, with the deaths of Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, Frans Brüggen, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and Christopher Hogwood. The average age of the top ten busiest conductors has fallen, with three conductors in their 30s. The interesting question for 2015 will be who, if any, of these top 10 will get the plum post of Chief Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. Sir Simon Rattle remains in post until 2018, but Andris Nelsons, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Gustavo Dudamel – as well as Alan Gilbert – could be in the running if the orchestra votes this year. However, the rumour mill tells us that Christian Thielemann is a good bet for the post.
Busiest Orchestras
American orchestras lead the way with six places in the top ten. In some respects, this represents the way many orchestras in the United States perform, often presenting the same programme three times at the end of a week, whereas this is a rarer practice in Europe.
Composers are getting younger too…
… or, at least, orchestras are programming more music from the late 19th/ early 20th centuries. 2014 saw a rise into the top 10 most performed composers for Ravel and Dvořák, with Rachmaninov not far behind at No.14, up 8 places on 2013. For the first time, Haydn has fallen out of the top 10 composers. Perhaps this reflects the reluctance of modern symphony orchestras to perform classical-era works, which are being increasingly performed by period instrument ensembles instead? For example, at the 2014 BBC Proms, not a note of Haydn was performed.
Most performed works
In the concert hall, Handel’s Messiah still reigns supreme – boosted by Christmas and Easter scheduling – while Beethoven has five works in the top ten! Just outside, Rachmaninov rises up the ranks, his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini surging up from No.172 to No.16. Among the fallers is Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, not surprisingly given that many orchestras programmed it in 2013 for the centenary of its riotous première.
Where are the women?
In terms of the classical gender gap, the bright news for 2014 came not from the stats, but from the appointment of Judith Weir as Master of the Queen’s Music, confirmed in July. In the list of top conductors, only 5 feature in the top 150. Composer-wise, you have to delve to #260 to reach the fifth female composer (Sally Beamish). At English National Opera, two female conductors made a strong impression: Joana Carneiro (The Gospel According to the Other Mary) and Keri-Lynn Wilson (The Girl of the Golden West). Perhaps the operatic front looks brighter…