How To Disappear Completely

I [vote for] dead people

The republican-democratic ideal has really caught on in the music world. Perhaps the most blatant examples are in the American Idol series and subsequent reality/talent TV shows. But you can even vote for dead people now.

Although in this case, it is Tchaikovsky against Tchaikovsky (instead of separate contestants), as readers/viewers vote for their favorite of his works. And for me, the decision was rather tough. The Nutcracker versus Swan Lake versus Romeo and Juliet? I ended up going with my musicological gut and choosing the Symphony No. 6 (Pathetique). And I was significantly surprised to find that mine was the most popular choice, attracting 38.6% of the votes. The Nutcracker, possibly the most culturally pervasive of Tchaikovsky's work, managed to attract only 6.8% of the vote so far.

Granted the numbers are rather small at this point, but they suggest a few interpretations: 1) Either the public at large really just enjoys the Symphony No. 6 more than the "accessible" and familiar tunes such as the Waltz of the Sugar Plum Fairy or 2) the BBC's audience is by and large a very "educated" bunch.