Abundance of Tokyo venues averages out

IN Mark Swed’s article about classical music in Tokyo [“To the East, a Classical Crescendo,” Dec. 25], he writes: “Not only is more going on [in Tokyo] than in London or Berlin ...” but “... where other musical capitals consider themselves lucky to have two or three important large venues for concerts and opera, Tokyo and its outskirts boast 10, plus many more medium- and smaller-sized halls. The city is also home to about a dozen symphony orchestras.”

Whether intended or not, Swed implies that the Japanese are more interested in classical music than Europeans and Americans. The abundance of classical music ensembles/venues in Tokyo can easily be explained by the size of its population. Tokyo is the most populous urban agglomeration in the world with 35 million people. Berlin ranks nearly 90th with 3.3 million. When you consider the number of orchestras/concert halls per capita in Tokyo, roughly one for every 3 million people, that’s really just the average for major urban areas.

SETH LEVI

Philadelphia

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I can understand the motivation that would lead one to go to Tokyo to hear Western classical music. I, likewise, go there to buy pajamas and blue jeans (among other items). Tokyo truly does have a great selection of something for everyone. Except, perhaps, those looking for solitude.

JIM GOTTLIEB

San Diego