Simon Rattle and the new London concert hall...

[Beef Oven!]

Good news. Rattle is not just a great musician, more importantly, he's a leader. This is very positive.

[mercia]

Tom says

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/03/simon-rattle-is-the-seismic-creative-shock-uk-classical-music-needs

[french frank]

I have to admit tha I am somewhat surprised that Rattle is prepared to return to direct an orchestra in a country of several of whose concert halls (especially in the capital) he's been so understandably critical.

Some people relish a challenge!

[teamsaint]

What a tremendous start it has been to " Rhetorical Devices" month.

And great to see Tom and the DG getting so actively involved.

Still, good news I think, and lets hope the worthy aims of the LSO are furthered as much as they wish.

a really useful move would be further commitment to contemporary and C20 repertoire.
You know,play some Robert Simpson symphonies once in a while, stuff like that.

( warhorses dont always equate to bums on seats, check out sales for Dvorak 9 tomorrow night at the RFH for evidence.)

[jean]

Tom says
http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...al-music-needs

He writes as though the most important part of his 'revitalising' effect will be to persuade someone to cough up for a new Hall.

It's symptomatic of the Londoncentric nature of classical music criticism that the 'revitalising' effect of other fine conductors in other cities goes largely unrecognised.

[Flay]

to persuade someone to cough up for a new Hall.

I vote that the crumbling houses of Parliament should be converted to a concert hall and the MPs be re-housed at the Barbican

[Stanfordian]

He writes as though the most important part of his 'revitalising' effect will be to persuade someone to cough up for a new Hall.

It's symptomatic of the Londoncentric nature of classical music criticism that the 'revitalising' effect of other fine conductors in other cities goes largely unrecognised.

Hello Jean,

Surely it's not beyond the wit of man to renovate either the RFH or Barbican with improved sonics rather than build a new concert hall?

[french frank]

He writes as though the most important part of his 'revitalising' effect will be to persuade someone to cough up for a new Hall.

It's symptomatic of the Londoncentric nature of classical music criticism that the 'revitalising' effect of other fine conductors in other cities goes largely unrecognised.

I don't think that's entirely true: the new hall is mentioned in the last paragraph, 'And then there's the new hall...' before that he talked 'the music' and about the way he thought Rattle could transform the LSO. Also:

"And his priorities will be the same as they always have throughout his career: to democratise the art form, to shatter the dangerous illusion that the primary function of orchestras is to play concerts in gilt-edged cages around the world, and to connect new audiences with orchestral music."

So the new hall is hardly 'the most important part'. Does gush a bit, though, does Tom.

[pastoralguy]

Well there we are, then.

That Press Release in full:

http://lso.co.uk/sir-simon-rattle-press-release

No surprises there then ...

[pastoralguy]

I vote that the crumbling houses of Parliament should be converted to a concert hall and the MPs be re-housed at the Barbican

[Simon B]

Surely it's not beyond the wit of man to renovate either the RFH or Barbican with improved sonics rather than build a new concert hall?

It probably is - fundamentally the auditoria are, as a matter of physics, the wrong shape. Both have already been mucked about with over time, the RFH latterly in a seriously heavy-duty and very expensive manner. Really sorting them out would involve bulldozing them and building something new on the site.

Whether there's really sufficient justification for the cost of doing this or building a new one is another question. Unless it comes from the pockets of an egomaniacal oligarch or a tithe on the corporations of the Square Mile I'm inclined to say not. Not least due to the potential for all the usual carping about elitism and public money being spent on the snooty snobbish interests of the few who could afford to bear the full cost themselves anyway as they're loaded (I wish!).

The RFH is significantly improved imv, but only if you sit in the right (mostly expensive) places. I also think the Barbican can be ok - providing you sit in an even smaller range of (mostly expensive) places.

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is inordinately better than either of them. That said, I think the recent refurbishment has taken an excellent acoustic and... not exactly ruined it... but made it a bit less excellent. Too bathroomy (a bit like the Bridgewater), too bright, the new layout over-emphasises the already trenchant trombone section etc. Other people who've been there recently say roughly the opposite. To me, this shows a) The risk of messing about with things b) The chances of achieving an acoustic everyone thinks is brilliant are roughly nil.

I don't live anywhere near Liverpool or London so at least can't be biased on that basis!

[Beef Oven!]

Hello Jean,

Surely it's not beyond the wit of man to renovate either the RFH or Barbican with improved sonics rather than build a new concert hall?

MrGongGong's mates could steal in, in the dark of night, like the Black Magic Chocolates advert, sort out all the acoustics and be gone before dawn.

[Flosshilde]

Tom says
http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...al-music-needs

Tom goes rather over the top in his assessment of SirSimon's powers. I think the comments are more interesting.

[MrGongGong]

Excellent news IMV
The folks in London get wine turned into water
and the no longer needed St Lukes becomes a new venue for experimental music and sound art

[Flosshilde]

I don't think that's entirely true: the new hall is mentioned in the last paragraph, 'And then there's the new hall...' before that he talked 'the music' and about the way he thought Rattle could transform the LSO. Also:

"And his priorities will be the same as they always have throughout his career: to democratise the art form, to shatter the dangerous illusion that the primary function of orchestras is to play concerts in gilt-edged cages around the world, and to connect new audiences with orchestral music."

So the new hall is hardly 'the most important part'. Does gush a bit, though, does Tom.

As people point out in the Comments, the LSO is hardly a second-rate orchestra now, & Colin Davies & Gergiev had a fair bit to hand in its development, and there are other, hardly negligable orchestras & conductors in the rest of the UK. As for outreach etc, the LSO does a fair bit now, & other orchestras too (the BBCSSO & the RSNO do rather more, I think, in taking music to people who can't get to the main cities than the London-based orchestras do). To see Rattle as the single-handed saviour of classical music & music education in the UK (or even just England) is ridiculous and dangerous - he's not due here in for a couple of years to start with - what are we supposed to do, sit around & wait while the classical music infrastructure (& I'm not talking about physical things like concert halls) crumbles because of a lack of government funding? & once he does take up the post he's only going to spend 4 months in the country - not exactly a lot of time to spend on all the other stuff and rehearse and conduct.