Simon Rattle and the new London concert hall...

[Tevot]

Good! I'm can appreciate that there's bound to be a bit of a Rattle 'backlash' but it seems a shame to pour scorn on a musician who has raised the profile of classical music in this country. How many other top ranking conductors would deign to conduct a children's orchestra prior to a major engagement? How many other conductors have been on the cover of the Radio Times?

And let's face it, one doesn't get to be Principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic without having SOMETHING going for them!

Indeed. I'm in full agreement with Pastoralguy here. I'm puzzled by the Rattle bashers. Admittedly - having listened on I-player to the recordings of the CBSO in Frankfurt doing Beethoven back in 1995 I felt underwhelmed. Does that mean that Rattle is a mediocre conductor or that the performances were in themselves poor? Of course not - it is all subjective. It means that I didn't 'get' those performances. I grew up with Klemperer's recordings and was recently amazed by Vanska and The Minnesota Orchestra's reinterpretations of these works. A lot of it is down to what we have been programmed to hear and to expect. I'd love to hear Rattle's Beethoven now - perhaps my reaction and appreciation will be different. My sensibilities may have matured over that period of time

I have however heard some of the very recent Sibelius concerts and I thought them magnificent. Looking forward to Mahler 2 also...

All the best,

Tevot

[jayne lee wilson]

The more I read of Ivan Hewitt the less of him I think....his article reflects the English make do and mend, do the show right here attitude. A few years ago he was ridiculing HiFi as a throwback to 70s lifestyle status-symbol etc......

[Stanfordian]

It's just been on the BBC News that Sir Simon states that he wants a new concert hall for London. I'm a great admirer of Sir Simon's work but it seems a little bit rich for someone who lives and works in Berlin to make that request. It might help if he was able to state where he will be working when he leaves the Beliner Philharmoniker. With any proposed new concert hall being in London methinks it would have to be built with Russian or Arab money.

[DracoM]

Erm, maybe the BBC's favourite buzz phrase of the moment - a 'pop-up' concert hall'?

[Alison]

The more I read of Ivan Hewitt the less of him I think....his article reflects the English make do and mend, do the show right here attitude. A few years ago he was ridiculing HiFi as a throwback to 70s lifestyle status-symbol etc......

how true Jayne!

[muzzer]

I don't have a link but according to the Standard tonight Gideon Osborne has thrown his weight behind Rattle. Make of that what you will......

[Old Grumpy]

It's just been on the BBC News that Sir Simon states that he wants a new concert hall for London. I'm a great admirer of Sir Simon's work but it seems a little bit rich for someone who lives and works in Berlin to make that request. It might help if he was able to state where he will be working when he leaves the Beliner Philharmoniker. With any proposed new concert hall being in London methinks it would have to be built with Russian or Arab money.

Too right - if another concert hall is in the offing, London is not the first priority. We up here have a very good one not far away, but I'm sure there are other areas in the UK more deserving than London, which is already well provided!

[french frank]

I don't have a link but according to the Standard tonight Gideon Osborne has thrown his weight behind Rattle. Make of that what you will......

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/george-osborne-backs-move-for-new-concert-hall-for-london-10056183.html

[Nick Armstrong]

I don't have a link but according to the Standard tonight Gideon Osborne has thrown his weight behind Rattle. Make of that what you will......

Yes: here it is http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londo...-10056183.html .... as ff has just kindly said.....

And another one about 'scouting' for locations already underway.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/scouting-begins-for-possible-sites-for-new-concert-hall-in-london-10053146.html

...in the 'Square Mile'

[Petrushka]

Too right - if another concert hall is in the offing, London is not the first priority. We up here have a very good one not far away, but I'm sure there are other areas in the UK more deserving than London, which is already well provided!

But the point is that other areas of the UK already do have 'very good' concert halls while London, the capital with half a dozen (or thereabouts) world class orchestras doesn't. If Rattle pulls this one off, something let's not forget, that has been wished for since the Queen's Hall met its sad end in 1941, he deserves to be beatified.

If a new hall gets built what happens to the Barbican?

[Flosshilde]

But the point is that other areas of the UK already do have 'very good' concert halls while London, the capital with half a dozen (or thereabouts) world class orchestras doesn't.

Perhaps those orchestras should consider moving? If a football club can, and a ballet company, surely an orchestra can.

Anyway, as has been pointed out, the south-west doesn't have a decent hall, nor East Anglia. & Oxford isn't exactly stuffed with decent venues (I expect someone will provide a list that proves me wrong )

[Petrushka]

Perhaps those orchestras should consider moving? If a football club can, and a ballet company, surely an orchestra can.

Anyway, as has been pointed out, the south-west doesn't have a decent hall, nor East Anglia. & Oxford isn't exactly stuffed with decent venues (I expect someone will provide a list that proves me wrong )

So...the LSO goes to Birmingham, still calls itself the London Symphony Orchestra and boots the CBSO out of the place? The LPO up to Newcastle? Philharmonia to Manchester? I don't think so somehow. Don't think the home teams would be thrilled.

[MrGongGong]

But the point is that other areas of the UK already do have 'very good' concert halls while London, the capital with half a dozen (or thereabouts) world class orchestras doesn't.

Yes it does here are a few
RFH, Kings Place, Cadogan Hall and so on

This whole thing is a pile of utter nonsense IMV

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But when they do build new concert ha;;s in London, they turn out to be not very good.

But perhaps we shouldn't knock those we have. There was a push for a new concert in Manchester, brought about successfully by talking down the Free Trade Hall, which was actually rather good as a concert hall, but less good for those who couldn't see beyond the race for the bar in the interval.

[teamsaint]

Well, the modern world seems to love "stakeholders"...or at least pay lip service to them.

It might be interesting to know what some top London based conductors think should be priorities.... or some performers......... or paying customers....... or residents.......

at the moment we have a discussion based on what Simon Rattle may have said, and the thoughts of a few journos, boris,gideon, and some well paid people in desireable jobs who think that being near to a crossrail station will solve all their customer shortfall issues....(or did I make that bit up?)

Doesn't really look like a basis for sound decision making.