Great Rehearsers

[Prommer]

I think most of the greats, ancient and modern, have that skill, Prommer but I agree that with Boehm it was scary

Quite true, but this is something else - formidably done. In fact, these days, it would be called bullying most probably, simply the act of picking out players so directly...?

I cannot imagine anyone ever arguing with him face-to-face, but down the pub or bierkeller...!

Incidentally and off-topic, though so different in style and manner, Kleiber held Bohm in great regard, and agreed to deputise for him with the LSO when KB was ailing. This led to the infamous London concert debut of Kleiber with the orchestra, which garnered the odd less-than-rave from the press (LBV7, 'too fast' and hard-driven was the gist), and caused Kleiber to vow not to return (except to the ROH).

[Zucchini]

Does anyone know if it is possible to attend rehearsals these days?

Final rehearsals can be attended pretty much weekly by CBSO members at Symphony Hall. Earlier rehearsals are at the CBSO Centre opposite. Maybe the most interesting I've attended was Uchida/Nelsons getting together with Mozart & Messaien

[amateur51]

Final rehearsals can be attended pretty much weekly by CBSO members at Symphony Hall. Earlier rehearsals are at the CBSO Centre opposite. Maybe the most interesting I've attended was Uchida/Nelsons getting together with Mozart & Messaien

sounds a treat, Zucchini - many thanks

[HighlandDougie]

The following might be an instructive Saturday afternoon alternative to the football:

http://lso.co.uk/open-rehearsal-jaap-van-sweden

Shame it's not free but it might be interesting to see how JvS deals with his fellow musicians (he was leader of the Concertgebouw for quite a long time).

And, as something of a contrast to Doktor Böhm, how about

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl-dSoNHx8Y

[Nick Armstrong]

I was just simply in awe watching Böhm rehearsing Don Juan. I've never seen anything like it. Anyone who wants to know what a conductor does should watch this and learn.

...but about whose conducting technique, as opposed to his musicianship and ear for colour and detail, many musicians were vitriolic!

On CD Review on Saturday morning, an extract was played from KB's 'Zarathustra' from this release:

MOZART: Symphony No. 40 in G minor K550
MAHLER: Kindertotenlieder
STRAUSS: Also sprach Zarathustra Op. 30
Berliner Philharmoniker, Karl Bohm (conductor)
TESTAMENT SBT21489 (2CD mid-price)


There was an awful moment towards the end, a general pause which was more like the end of the 3.35 from Kempton Park - the various sections all arrived at different times one after the other, and only once they'd all taken a deep breath and had a rub down with a copy of Sporting Life did matters proceed...

[Petrushka]

Does anyone know if it is possible to attend rehearsals these days?

I haven't tried for a long time. Back in the late 1970s/1980s because I knew rehearsals usually began at 10am I used to just wander in and take a seat somewhere trying to look as if I belonged there. Nowadays, I doubt if I'd even get passed the Artist's Entrance door without being ejected by the bouncers. I often used to wander backstage after the concert and met all the great names of the day. Now you can't get anywhere without a pass or the gorillas at the door turn you away.

[Prommer]

At the other end of the spectrum, Beecham famously had this view of rehearsing and thereby his relationship with his players...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKgG3nrzaqg

[slarty]

Incidentally and off-topic, though so different in style and manner, Kleiber held Bohm in great regard, and agreed to deputise for him with the LSO when KB was ailing. This led to the infamous London concert debut of Kleiber with the orchestra, which garnered the odd less-than-rave from the press (LBV7, 'too fast' and hard-driven was the gist), and caused Kleiber to vow not to return (except to the ROH).

On the same off-topic theme, around the same time, having bought tickets well in advance for Böhm's Brahms 3/1 with the LSO in 1979, it was incredible to find that
Sergiu Celibidache had stepped in(for the same reason - ill health to KB) at less than 48 hours notice - He was normally insisting on 11 to 13 rehearsals with the LSO, at that time. Fabulous concert.

[Prommer]

Even Kleiber used to do this, from time to time, while of course still being known for asking for many more rehearsals than anyone else (and usually getting them). He jumped in to conduct Rosenkavalier at late notice in 1974, in what therefore became his debut at Covent Garden - replacing James Levine. His view was 'I either want lots of rehearsals or next to none' - the middle ground did not appeal at all. (His main requirement at Covent Garden was allegedly that he should be put up at a hotel with a swimming pool - as he was bringing the family and he was teaching his son to swim at that time...)