The hard Szell?

[richardfinegold]

I might be 11 years late, but I am here to right a wrong, so here is the Szell contract renegotiation anecdote, courtesy of John Culshaw.

"Szell was Hungarian, and almost impossible to outwit.

I was present in Zurich when he came to see Rosengarten, to negotiate a new contract and, for once, Rosengarten was slightly nervous. He needed Szell, and Szell knew as much.

Rosengarten had his ammunition ready, and it was formidable when he chose to use it at full force; but Szell, taking his example from (I believe) an incident in the life of Berlioz, sailed into Rosengarten's office, bearing the last thing Rosengarten expected, which was a broad grin.

"Mr Rosengarten," he said, "we are here to discuss a contract, which you think is going to be difficult. Let us be clear about one thing immediately. I know that you are an artist, a man of great sensitivity and musical perception, which I would not dare to match. I, on the other hand, am a simple business man, whose only interest is money. I shall therefore put forward proposals which, needless to say, are not subject to alteration". It was the only time in my life that I saw Rosengarten floored with one blow, for his standard technique was to spend ten minutes flattering an artist until he judged that the moment had come to announce the lowest possible terms. Szell, in turning the tables on him, left him speechless. The contract was signed, on Szell's terms".

I have just indulged in the huge Szell Complete Columbia Recordings box (106 wonderfully-remastered discs, original sleeve artwork, gorgeous hardbacked coffee table book and all housed in a bombproof outer case). What a beauty it is!

Wow Great Story. I will have to remember it when I negotiate my next contract.