Drafted by Jeanice Brooks
Dear General Manager of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,
A group of concerned musicians and scholars is compiling information on policies concerning gender equity in large orchestras. The end result of this inquiry will be a list of orchestras which do not discriminate against women, which we will forward to individuals, and to those persons at universities and colleges responsible for the acquisition of recordings, so that buyers of recordings may make better-informed decisions about their purchases. As part of our collecting process, we would like to obtain official information from your orchestra concerning the following policies. What steps are taken to ensure that women are allowed equal opportunity with men to audition for vacant posts in the orchestra? How are players selected for audition? Are auditions conducted anonymously? If not, how are they conducted? When women are successful in auditioning for vacant posts, what steps are taken to ensure they are treated fairly once admitted to the orchestra?
If you could write us a short letter explaining your policies, we would be very grateful. Please send your response to Dr L.J. Brooks, Department of Music, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1 BJ, England, who will ensure that all signatories of this letter receive a copy of your response. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
(Co-signed by members of the gen-mus list from around the world, mostly in academia, including deans and heads of departments.)
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William Osborne provided this translation and the editorial notes.
Vienna, April 19 1996
Dear Dr. Brooks:
In reply to your letter
of February 25, 1996, may I first say that theVienna
Philharmonic has no
General Director, but only a democratically elected
administrative board
with a chairman at its head. At the same time may I
explain how the
orchestra is organized:
To start with, the orchestra musicians of the
Vienna State Opera are employees
of the federal government. In 1842 these
musicians founded the Vienna
Philharmonic Union, which is private and
independent. The two historical roots
of the orchestra are the court music
chapel, founded in 1498, which was
responsible for church services; and the
other is the orchestra for the court
opera. In both musical bodies, naturally,
there were no women. You obviously
know that today this is still true in the
Vienna Philharmonic, otherwise you
wouldn't have written to
us.
The reasons for this are generally accepted by most women who are
informed of
our problems in detail, and I will presently come to them.
Militant feminists,
who are more interested in equal rights than artistic
efficacy, will obviously
reject them.
The orchestra, as a whole, that
is the State Opera orchestra and Philharmonic
taken together, presently has
147 musicians. Between September and June each
year they complete about
300 opera performances, as well as 110 rehearsals. In
addition there are
about 80 to 85 symphony concerts here and abroad, also with
an appropriate
number of rehearsals, and beyond that the Salzburg Festival in
July and
August.
Television productions, record recordings, etc., are added to
that, as is the
chamber music activity of most members, which is absolutely
necessary to
maintain orchestral quality.
To continue the Vienna
instrumental and musical tradition (the Vienna
Philharmonic uses wind
instruments directly descended from the late 18th
century), it is also
necessary to send teachers to the Austrian conservatories
which pass on this
tradition. All together this is a horrendous amount of work.
[Note: For
the musician's protection their contract puts a maximum limit on the
amount
of work that can be completed within any given six week period.]
All
these activities are only possible through the voluntary renunciation
of
claims to (sometimes minimal) social rights, which are otherwise taken
for
granted and guaranteed as legal worker protection. Every member has
the right
to an unpaid one year leave of absence once in his life. (Experience
has shown
that after longer absences artistic reintegration is very difficult,
indeed even
impossible.) This can, however, be revoked at any time at short
notice, if the
orchestra finds it artistically necessary. Our first solo flutist, for
example,
painfully discovered this, when he had to cancel his leave two
weeks before it
began, and thus cancel solo concerts around the
world.
We are currently in consultation with the Women's Ministry of
the Austrian
Republic concerning the solution of the question of admitting
women, without
finding, to date, an acceptable result that would permit us
to uphold the
artistic organization in the present successful form. Even our
discussion
partners do not yet see how to get a grip on the problem of
compensating for the
expected leaves of absence [if women are allowed in]
without a further
enlargment of the orchestra (192 members would be
artistic ruin, because the
pool of musicians would then fall into two parts)
and without creating a
two-class society with different social rights. Other
world-class orchestras do
not have this problem, because they are either
opera or concert orchestras, and
because they are mostly supported by the
public hand; and it is absolutely not
a problem at all for orchestras that
aren't quite first class, because it isn't
so difficult to find adequate
substitutes.
I fear that these arguments will not impress you. First,
because you surely
lack the time to make yourself familiar with the
problematics here on the spot
[an Ort und Stelle]. And secondly, because it
is not music that stands in the
forefront of your thoughts, but rather a socio-
political goal. This can be
derived from the observation, that in your
opinion, the aquisitions of academic
institutions, such as record archives and
libraries, should not follow artistic,
but rather socio-political perspectives
placed superior to them.
It should be noted that we are also not happy
with the status quo, namely, that
we must renounce many first-class women
musicians. We are very conscious of the
fact that women are discriminated
against in public life. Looking just a few
kilometers south of our border [i.e.,
to former Yugoslavia], one is gripped by
an indescribable horror at what
people are capable of doing to one another, and
in this case especially to
women. Not to mention the social position of women
in many cultures of
the earth. The need for urgent remedies does not even need
to be
discussed.
One should discuss, however, whether artistic organizations
must automatically
be the mirror of society, or whether there should not be
some leeway in this
area. Does it not follow, that the consequent demands
for equal rights would
produce absurd results?
May quartets only
appear these days with gender parity?
That is naturely a ridiculous
question. But what about an octet, or a larger
chamber music ensemble?
Where do you set the limits here?
It is, of course, understandable that
every citizen of this State has a
fundamental right to work in an orchestra
financed entirely by the state, if
they have the necessary
qualifications.
But the situation with the Vienna Philharmonic
musicians is rather different:
The tax contribution by the orchestra musicians
is higher than the state
expenditures for the two organizations. This is
because the State Opera pays
low wages, and because the state hardly
subsidizes the Philharmonic at all.
This assures a large measure of
independence and protection from state
intervention.
One can, of
course, very correctly argue against this, that it has nothing to do
with the
basic morality of this group of artists, and that it is a sign of this
bad morality
that women are excluded. And thus, it would follow that a boycott
of these
musicians is a worthy goal. But here we move beyond the woman
question
into the basic one: women are indeed only ONE among the many
underprivileged
groups. If I thus establish a record archive from the
perspective of the woman
question, then I must also ask: How many colored
people belong to this American
orchestra whose CD I would like to buy?
Does this correspond to their
proportion in the population--or will someone
claim that colored people are less
gifted in the area of classical music? [Note:
Colored is not an antiquated term
to many German speakers.]
Do
the great London orchestras reflect the combination of the population of
that
city? How many Palestinians or Christians play in the Jerusalem
Symphony?
You must ask yourself all these questions, if you're not
primarily and
exclusively lobbying for women.
I personally believe
that artists and their works cannot be judged primarily by
moral criteria. (I
hope you agree if I put musicians--with this term we mean
both the male
and female gender--under the concept of artist.) If we are
already so picky
[heikel] about the morality of interpreters, how much more
severely must we
then condemn the creative artists!
What about Mozart's Baesle letters,
and--according to Constanze's
complaints--his "chambermaideries" [thanks
to Lisa Feurzeig for her translation
of "Stubenmaedelien"]; what about
Haydn who wrote to his beloved: "In order for
us to finally be united, four
eyes must first be closed." (those of his wife and
the husband of his beloved);
what of the bordello patron and syphilitic,
Schubert; what about Wagner,
accustomed to seducing the wives of his patrons;
how can the works of all
these misogynist monsters belong in our record
collections?
In this
letter I have made an effort to convey some thoughts to you and your
female
colleagues [Note: many men signed the letter he is responding to],
and
indeed with such thoroughness as to show you that we take you, your
concern, and
the entire woman question seriously. We know about the
seriousness of this
problem, and know also how many female musicians--in
some cases outstanding
ones--there are in Austria.
All this will not
protect us from standing out on your watch list as a
particularly despicable
example.
Should you ever come to Vienna, and nevertheless have an
interest to
discuss-and-take-apart-our-problems [ausseinandersetzen] here
on the spot,
please let us know well in advance, so that we can take time for
you and for
your questions. You are warmly welcome at any
time!
Yours sincerely,
VIENNA
PHILHARMONIC
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Lisa Feurzeig provided this translation and the editorial notes.
Here is my translation of the letter to Jeanice Brooks from the Vienna Philharmonic. I have added a few comments and clarifications in square brackets. Some words in regular parentheses are the original German, when translation was difficult; sentences in parens were in parens in the original letter.
If you have not, I recommend reading Annegret Fauser's note which preceded her transcription of the German text. The information she gives about women's legal rights to "Karenz" time is quite essential if you want to follow the argument here.
If anyone has questions or would like to propose alternate translations, please feel free!
Vienna, April 19 1996
Dear Dr. Brooks:
In reply to your letter of February 25 1996, may I first say that the Vienna Philharmonic has no general director, but rather a democratically elected administrative board [or management committee - Verwaltungsausschuss] with a chairman (Vorstand) at its head. At the same time, allow me to clarify for you the organization of the orchestra:
Here there is first the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, which the musicians serve as employees of the state. In 1842, these musicians founded the private and independent Vienna Philharmonic Union. The two roots of the orchestra are the court music chapel, founded in 1498, which was responsible for church services, and the orchestra for the court opera. In both musical bodies (Klangkoerpern!!) there were obviously (natuerlich) no women. That this is still the case today with the Vienna Philharmonic, you obviously know, otherwise you wouldn't have written to us.
As for the reasons, which are generally accepted by women who are informed of our problems in detail, I am coming directly to them. Militant feminists, who are more interested in equal rights than artistic efficiency (Effizienz), must obviously reject them.
The orchestra, as a whole, that is State Opera orchestra and Philharmonic taken together, consists presently of 147 musicians. Between September and June each year, they complete [the German word is "bewaeltigen" whose first meaning is "master" - related to "Gewalt"] ca. 300 opera performances, in addition 110 rehearsals, ca. 80-85 concerts in Austria and abroad, also with an appropriate number of rehearsals, and beyond that the Salzburg Festival in July and August.
[NOTE: I believe that the orchestra is actually divided. Otherwise, they'd be performing, on the average, more than one concert per day, not to mention rehearsals. Herr Schuster seems to be making this deliberately vague with the "as a whole" clause.]
TV recordings, records, etc., are additional, as is the chamber music activity - absolutely necessary for orchestral quality - of most members.
In continuation of the Vienna instrumental and musical tradition (the Vienna Philharmonic uses an instrumentarium - particularly the brass and winds (Blaesern) - that is directly descended from that of the late 18th century), it is also necessary to dispatch teachers to the Austrian conservatories (Hochschulen) which pass on this tradition. Altogether, then, a horrendous amount of work.
All these activities are only possible through the voluntary renunciation of (relatively minimal) claims to social rights and the protections that are otherwise guaranteed by labor law (sonst selbstverstaendlichen arbeitsrechtlichen Schutzmassnahmen). Every member has the right to take an unpaid year of leave once in his life. (Experience has shown that after longer absences, artistic reintegration is very difficult, often even impossible.) This year of leave can however be revoked at any time and with short notice, if the orchestra finds it artistically necessary. Our first solo flutist, for example, discovered this to his sorrow, when he had to cancel his leave two weeks before it began and therefore to give up solo concerts around the world.
[What a warm fuzzy employer... But more to the point, if the men have VOLUNTARILY RENOUNCED their legal rights, what's to prevent women from doing the same?]
We are presently having meetings with the Women's Ministry of the Austrian Republic [this is a cabinet department] about the solution of the question of admitting women, without finding, to date, an acceptable solution that would permit us to uphold artistic activity in the present successful form. Even our discussion partners do not yet see how to get a grip on the situation without a further enlargement of the orchestra to compensate for the leaves of absence to be expected (192 members would be artistic ruin, because the musical body would then fall into two parts) and without the creation of a legal (sozialrechtlich) two-class society. A problem which other world-class orchestras do not have, because they are either opera or concert orchestras, and are also mostly supported by the Public Hand, and which is no problem at all for orchestras that aren't first-class, because there it isn't so difficult to find adequate substitutes.
I fear that these arguments will not impress you. First, because you certainly lack the time to make yourself familiar with the problematics here directly (an Ort und Stelle). Secondly, because in the foreground of your deliberations stands not music, but a social-political goal. I derive this from your remark that in your opinion the structure of academic institutions such as record archives and libraries should follow, not from artistic, but from social-politically directed (uebergeordneten) perspectives.
To this should be remarked that we too are not happy with the status quo, that is that we must renounce many first-class female musicians. We are very well aware of the fact of discrimination against women in public life. Looking just a few kilometers south from our border [i.e., to the former Yugoslavia], one is gripped by an indescribable horror at what people are capable of doing to one another, and in this case particularly to women. Not to mention the social position of women in many cultures of the earth. That it is urgent to take remedial measures in these situations does not even need to be discussed. [i.e., it is too obvious to need discussion]
But one should discuss whether artistic groups automatically must be the mirror of society, or whether there should in this realm eventually be some free space (Freiraeume). For doesn't an absurd result follow from the systematic (konsequent) demand for equal rights?
May quartets only appear, if they are sexually balanced?
That is obviously a ridiculous question. But how about an octet, or a larger chamber music ensemble? Where do you set the limits here?
Of course, it is reasonable (es ist natuerlich einzusehen) that in an orchestra financed entirely by the state, every member of this state's population has the basic right, given the proper qualifications, to be part of this orchestra.
But the situation with the Vienna Philharmonic players is rather different: The tax contribution by the orchestra musicians is higher than the state expenditures for the two organizations (Koerperschaften). This because the State Opera pays low wages and the state subsidizes the Philharmonic hardly at all. This assures a great amount of independence and protection from state intervention (Eingriffen).
One can of course very rightly argue against this that it has nothing to do with the basic morality of this artistic group, and that it is a sign of this bad morality that women are excluded. And that therefore a boycott of these musicians is a worthy goal. But here we come beyond the woman question into the basic one: women are indeed only ONE among the many underprivileged groups. So if I organize (anlege) a record archive from the perspective of the woman question, then I must also ask: How many colored people [note: this is not an antiquated word in German] belong to this American orchestra, whose CD I would like to buy? Does this correspond to their proportion in the population - or does someone want to claim that colored people are less gifted in the realm of classical music?
Do the great London orchestras reflect (entsprechen) the combination of the population of that city? How many Palestinians or Christians play in the Jerusalem Symphony?
One must ask all these questions, if the main question is not primarily and exclusively about lobbying for women.
I personally believe that artists and their works cannot be judged primarily by moral criteria. (I hope you agree if I put musicians - under this concept we understand those of both male and female sex - under the concept of artist.) For if we are already so sensitive about the morality of interpreters (nachschoepfenden Kuenstler), how much more severely must we then condemn the creative artists!
What then of Mozart's Baesle-letters and - according to Constanze's complaints - his "chambermaideries "("Stubenmaedeleien"); what of Haydn, who wrote to his beloved: "In order for us to be finally united, four eyes (those of his wife and her husband) must be closed."; what of the bordello-frequenter and syphilitic, Schubert [I guess he's not up on the latest American ideas of much more 'scandalous' Schubertian activities]; what of a Wagner, who was in the habit of seducing the wives of his patrons; what can the works of all these anti-female (frauenfeindlichen) [they actually sound pretty woman-friendly to me] monsters belong in our record collections?
I have made an effort to convey some thoughts in this letter to you and your female colleagues, and indeed with great thoroughness, in order to show you that we take you, your concern, and the entire woman question seriously. We know about the seriousness of this problem and know also how many female musicians - in some cases excellent ones - there are in Austria.
All this will not protect us from appearing on your watch list [the English phrase is used in the original - I believe this is the term that was used in the discussions of whether Kurt Waldheim would be allowed to attend UN celebrations last year, hence another instance of Americans judging Austrians] as a particularly despicable example.
Should you ever come to Vienna, and nonetheless have an interest in a direct encounter with our problems on the spot, please inform us well in advance so that we can take time for you and for your questions. You are warmly welcome at any time!
Yours sincerely,
VIENNA PHILHARMONIC
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Annegret Fauser provided this transcription (further below) of the VPO reply, along with the following editorial notes.
1. Jeanice Brooks has asked me to transcribe the letter from the VPO in the original German for those who are fluent in it, given that I type a bit faster in my own language than she would... This is the only reason why it is posted under my address. So here is the original. Please note that German "s" and "Umlaute" are no ASCII signes, and that I reproduced them therefore as "ss" and "ae", "ue" and "oe". I don't know, if such a document can be cited, if it is circulated on a list, but in my personal opinion you should ask Dr Brooks for a photocopy if ever you want to cite it in print in order to have the correct spelling.
2. Some of this letter is very problematic and should be discussed. But before you go too hard about the dialogue that the orchestra had with the ministery for women (Frauenministerium), you should consider that laws in Europe and in the US are different. Women in Europe are strongly protected when they are pregnant and get children. Their job has to be hold for them for several years (depending on the country) which they can take out, and this is valuable for each child. In theory, a woman with three children can have a place in a German orchestra for at least seven years (if you count pregancies) without ever playing a single note. This is of course the horror-scenario which people like to use against women (who normally don't act that way anyhow), but these laws are valid for every employer, be it state or private. Even if a woman signs a contract in which she volontarily gives up these rights, she can go to court and will win (it has happened). I do not want to defend the orchestra, and I strongly support laws which protect women when they have to cope with pregnancy and rising children, but I think that one has to understand the background of the discussion. The orchestra can bully men into working in the described way, they can't do it with women (because of European law). And I am sure that this is one serious reason why they are so reluctant to employ them: that's how the number of 192 musicians comes up, taking into account lots and lots of pregnant women (one wonders how fertile they consider woman musicians to be...), and that is also what they refer to when they say that they allow only one "Karenzjahr" (=year off) per life per musician: law doesn't allow them to impose that on women. Again, this does not reflect my personal opinion on the question, and I would have a lot to say about such a misogynist form of argumentation, -- it is more an "ethnographic" footnote.
Annegret Fauser
THE LETTER
Wien, am 19. April 1996
Sehr geehrte Frau Dr. Brooks!
In Beantwortung Ihres Schreiben vom 25. Februar 1996, darf ich Ihnen zunaechst sagen, dass die Wiener Philharmoniker keinen Generaldirektor haben, sondern nur einen demokratisch gewaehlten Verwaltungsausschuss mit einem Vorstand an der Spitze. Gleichzeitig darf ich Ihnen die Konstruktion des Orchesters erlaeutern:
Hier gibt es zunaechst das Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, bei dem die Musiker als Bedienstete des Bundes angestellt sind. Diese Musiker haben 1842 den privaten und unabhaengigen Verein Wiener Philharmoniker gegruendet. Die zwei Wurzeln der Orchesters sind die 1498 gegruendete Hofmusikkapelle, welche den Kirchendienst versah, sowie das Orchester der Hofoper. In beiden Klangkoerpern gab es natuerlich keine Frauen. Dass dies auch heute bei den Wiener Philharmonikern immer noch so ist, wissen Sie natuerlich, sonst haetten Sie uns wohl nicht geschrieben. Zu den Gruenden, die von Frauen, die ueber unsere Probleme im Detail informiert sind, zumeist akzeptiert werden, komme ich gleich. Militante Feministinnen, die mehr an Gleichberechtigung als an kuenstlerischer Effizienz interessiert sind, muessen sie natuerlich ablehnen. Das Orchester, als Ganzes, also Staatsopernorchester und Philharmoniker gemeinsam gesehen, besteht aus gegenwaertig 147 Musikern. Diese bewaeltigen in einem Zeitraum von September bis Juni des Jahres ca. 300 Operndienste zuzueglich 110 Proben, ca. 80-85 Konzerte im In- und Ausland, ebenfalls mit einer entsprechenden Probenanzahl, darueber hinaus die Salzburger Festspiele im Juli und August. TV-Aufnahmen, Platten etc. kommen hinzu, ebenso die fuer die Orchesterqualitaet unabdingbare Kammermusiktaetigkeit der meisten Mitglieder. Zur Fortfuehrung der Wiener Instrumental- und Musiziertradition (die Wiener Philharmoniker benuetzen ein Instrumentarium -- in erster Linie bei den Blaesern -- das in direkter Linie auf das Instrumentarium des spaeten 18. Jahrhunderts zurueckgeht) ist es zudem notwendig, Lehrer auf die oesterreichischen Hochschulen zu entsenden, welche diese Tradition weitergeben. Insgesamt also ein horrender Arbeitsaufwand. All diese Aktivitaeten sind nur moeglich durch den freiwilligen Verzicht auf (beziehungsweise nur minimale) Inanspruchnahme von sozialen Rechten und sonst selbstverstaendlichen arbeitsrechtlichen Schutzmassnahmen. Jedes Mitglied hat das Recht, einmal in seinem Leben ein unbezahltes Karenzjahr zu nehmen. (Die Praxis hat gezeigt, dass bei laengerer Abwesenheit die kuenstlerische Reintegration sehr schwierig, ja oft unmoeglich ist). Dieses kann jedoch jederzeit und kurzfristig verweigert werden, wenn seitens des Orchesters hierzu die kuenstlerische Notwendigkeit besteht. Dies musste z.B. unser erster Solofloetist schmerzhaft erfahren, der zwei Wochen vor Antritt seines Karenzurlaubes diesen streichen und somit Solokonzerte in der ganzen Welt absagen musste.
Es gibt gegenwaertig Beratungen mit dem Frauenministerium der Republik Oesterreich ueber die Loesung der Frage der Aufnahme von Frauen, ohne dass man bis dato zu akzeptablen Ergebnisen gekommen waere, die es erlauben, den kuenstlerischen Betrieb in der gegenwaertigen, erfolgreichen Form aufrechtzuerhalten. Auch unsere Gespraechspartner sehen noch nicht, wie man ohne eine noch weitere Vergroesserung des Orchesters zur Kompensation zu erwartender Karenzen (192 Mitglieder waere der kuenstlerische Ruin, weil der Klangkoerper dann in zwei Teile zerfiele) und ohne die Schaffung einer sozialrechtlichen Zweiklassengesellschaft das Problem in der Griff bekommt. Ein Problem, das andere Weltklasseorchester nicht haben, weil sie entweder Opern- oder Konzertorchester sind, und zudem meist von der Oeffentlichen Hand getragen werden, und welches bei nicht ganz erstklassigen Orchestern ueberhaupt kein Problem ist, weil es dort nicht so schwer ist, adaequaten Ersatz zu bekommen.
Ich fuerchte, dass diese Argumente Sie nicht beeindrucken werden. Erstens, weil Ihnen sicher die Zeit fehlt, sich hier an Ort und Stelle mit der Problematik vertraut zu machen. Zweitens, weil im Vordergrund Ihrer Ueberlegung ja nicht die Musik steht, sondern ein sozialpolitisches Ziel. Dies geht aus der Bemerkung hervor, dass Ihrer Meinung nach der Aufbau wissenschaftlicher Einrichtungen, wie der von Phonoarchiven und Bibliotheken nicht nach kuenstlerischen, sondern gesellschaftspolitisch uebergeordneten Gesichtspunkten erfolgen sollte.
Dazu waere zu bemerken, dass auch wir mit dem status quo, naemlich auf viele erstklassige Musikerinnen verzichten zu muessen, nicht gluecklich sind. Wir sind uns der Tatsache der Diskriminierung von Frauen im oeffentlichen Leben sehr wohl bewusst. Sieht man von unserer Grenze noch ein paar Kilometer suedlich, dann fasst einen unbeschreibbares Grauen davor, was Menschen einander, und hier ganz besonders Frauen, anzutun imstande sind. Von der sozialen Stellung der Frau in vielen Kulturen der Erde einmal ganz abgesehen. Dass hier dringend Abhilfe zu schaffen ist, darueber braucht nicht diskutiert zu werden. Diskutieren sollte man aber darueber, ob Kuenstlervereinigungen automatisch der Spiegel der Gesellschaft zu sein haben, oder ob es auf diesem Gebiet nicht eventuell doch Freiraeume geben sollte. Denn folgt nicht der konsequenten Forderung nach Gleichberechtigung eine absurde Konsequenz? Duerfen also Quartettbesetzungen nurmehr auftreten, wenn sie geschlechtsparitaetisch besetzt sind? Das ist natuerlich eine laecherliche Frage. Wie saehe es aber bei einem Oktett, wie bei einer groesseren Kammermusikformation aus? Wo setzen Sie hier die Grenze? Es ist natuerlich einzusehen, dass bei einem zur Gaenze vom Staat finanzierten Orchester jedes Mitglied dieses Staatsvolkes das grundsaetzliche Recht hat, bei entsprechender Qualifikation in einem solchen Orchester mitzuwirken. Die Lage bei den Wiener Philharmonikern ist aber hier eine etwas andere: Die Steuerleistung der Musiker des Orchesters ist hoeher als die Ausgaben des Staates fuer die beiden Koerperschaften. Dies, weil die Staatsoper geringe Gagen zahlt, und der Staat die Philharmoniker so gut wie nicht subventioniert. Dies sichert ein grosses Mass an Unabhaengigkeit und Schutz vor staatlichen Eingriffen. Man kann natuerlich sehr richtig dagegen argumentieren, dass das nichts mit der grundsaetzlichen Moral dieser Kuenstlergruppe zu tun hat, und dass es ein Zeichen dieser schlechten Moral ist, dass Frauen ausgeschlossen sind. Und dass demzufolge ein Boykott dieser Musiker anzustreben ist. Hier kommen wie aber ueber die Frauenfrage hinaus ins Grundsaetzliche: Frauen sind ja nur EINE unter den vielen unterpriviligierten Gruppen. Wenn ich also eine Phonothek unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Frauenfrage anlege, dann muss ich ebenso fragen: Wieviele Farbige hat dieses amerikanische Orchester, dessen CD ich eben kaufen moechte? Entspricht dies dem Bevoelkerungsanteil -- oder will jemand behaupten, dass Farbige im Bereich klassischer Musik weniger begabt waeren? Entsprechen die grossen Londoner Orchester der Zusammensetzung der Bevoelkerung dieser Stadt? Wieviele Palestinenser oder Christen spielen bei den Jerusalem Symphony mit? All diese Fragen muesste man sich stellen, wenn es nicht vordergruendig ausschliesslich um Lobbying fuer Frauen geht.
Ich persoenlich glaube, dass die Beurteilung von Kuenstlern und deren Wirken nicht vordergruendig nach moralischen Kriterien erfolgen kann. (Ich hoffe, mit Ihnen konform zu gehen, wenn ich Musiker -- unter diesem Begriff verstehen wir solche sowohl maennlichen als auch weiblichen Geschlechts -- unter dem Begriff Kuenstler sehe?) Denn, wenn wir schon so heikel bei der Moral der nachschoepfenden Kuenstler sind, um wieviel strenger muss man da erst den schoepferischen Kuenstler beurteilen! Was also hat Mozart mit seinen Baesle-Briefen und -- nach den Klagen Constanzes -- mit seinen "Stubenmaedeleien"; was ein Haydn, der seiner Geliebten schrieb: "Um uns endgiltig zu vereinen, muessen sich erst vier Augen (seiner Frau und des Mannes seiner Geliebten) schliessen."; was der Bordellbesucher und Syphiliker Schubert; was ein Wagner, der die Frauen seiner Goenner zu verfuehren pflegte; was also haben die Werke all dieser frauenfeindlichen Monster in unseren Plattensammlungen zu suchen? Ich habe mich bemueht, mit diesem Brief Ihnen und Ihren Kolleginnen einige Gedanken zu uebermitteln, und zwar in solcher Ausfuehrlichkeit, um Ihnen zu zeigen, dass wir Sie, Ihre Anliegen und die gesamte Frauenfrage ernst nehmen. Wir wissen um den Ernst der Problematik und wissen auch, wieviele -- und zum Teil hervorragende -- weibliche Musiker es in Oesterreich gibt.
All dies wird uns nicht davor bewahren, auf Ihrer watch list als besonders verabscheuungswuerdiges Beispiel aufzuscheinen.
Sollten Sie je nach Wien kommen, und dennoch Interesse haben, sich an Ort und Stelle mit unseren Problemen auseinanderzusetzen, so lassen Sie es uns bitte rechtzeitig wissen, damit wir uns Zeit fuer Sie und fuer Ihre Fragen nehmen koennen. Sie sind uns jederzeit herzlich willkommen!
Mit freundlichen Gruessen
WIENER PHILHARMONIKER
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