Whatever Happened to Chamber Music?

Extract

Taking part in a hastily-prepared performance of a contemporary piece for five players, I found myself wondering yet again: whatever happened to chambermusic? While the piece we played is by now ‘old’ enough to be considered part of the standard 20th-century repertoire, the ad hoc nature of this performance necessarily involved the aid of a conductor—not only because the time at our disposal was inadequate, but also because four of the players didn't know the piece at all, not to mention the fact that two of them had never even met previously, let alone played together. Now while this particular set-up was admittedly an extreme instance, it was unusual only in degree; for it's by no means unique as an example of the sort of circumstances that have come to be accepted by players and audiences alike over the last 50 years or so.