I respectfully disagree. The NY Phil isn't a tribute band, but a cover band, covering compositions by 'classical' composers.

Here is how I see the difference.

In an orchestra, you expect the members to change, and in reality, the conductor is the musician playing the orchestra as an ensemble. When the conductor changes, there is a big name change. Following Leonard Bernstein and the NYP was Pierre Boulez and the NYP, Zubin Metha and the NYP, Kurt Masur, Lorin Maazel, and now Alan Gilbert.

The follower of symphonic music knows the conductor, and how he/she interprets the music. Ormandy tended to "compress" the dynamics making him good for Classical era like Mozart but not Romantic music like Tchaikovsky (IMO).

You get to know conductors and how they interpret the music and you listen to them for what you think they excel at. The orchestra members don't matter that much, because they follow the conductor's directions for expression.

So if Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band got a new "conductor" (lead singer) named John Smith and called it John Smith and the E Street Band it would be like Alan Gilbert and the NY Phil.

And yes, the name of a band is an asset. I know first hand that at times the record companies had 4 or 5 groups touring the country with the same name as the group that had the hit recording. Many of the groups had no members of the original recording.

They wouldn't do this with Led Zeppelin or The Beatles because the public knew the personnel by name and face. But for especially vocal groups with a no-name singer in front, the general public doesn't know the difference.

I worked opposite a gentleman who worked in one of the road groups named "The Platters". He was definitely not Tony Williams the original lead singer, and he was also younger than any of the original members. There were four "Platters" groups going around the country at one time. My friend is a great singer and entertainer, was hired to do the job and did it well.

When Jay Traynor left Jay And The Americans he was replaced by David Black (IMHO a better singer). But the group was Jay And The Americans, not Dave And The Americans. So Dave changed is name from Dave Black to Jay Black.

So when Maurice White died, is Earth Wind and Fire still EWF? It's your call.

Insights and incites by Notes


Last edited by Notes Norton; 10/01/16 02:49 AM.
Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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