Men make Better Conductors

[Sir Velo]

Not my opinion I hasten to add but those of Vassily Petrenko. Not surprisingly, it seems to have upset two of his current employers.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Not my opinion I hasten to add but those of Vassily Petrenko. Not surprisingly, it seems to have upset two of his current employers.

Let's plug them in to find out.

[jean]

[Pabmusic]

Is this one more indication of Russian sexual attitudes, or is it just one Russian's view?

[salymap]

I wish Icould bring Dame Ethel Smyth back to discuss it with him. She was a match for any man, even Beecham.

[jean]

The Telegraph article doesn't include a comment from anyone at the RLPO, but the Guardian version I find:

...Michael Eakin, the chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, said: "To be honest the comments don't reflect the way he works with us and what we know of him … Vasily is always very clear: that it's all about musical talent and quality, and that's the defining factor with any musician."...

It's a real can of worms, though. The first comment on the Telegraph article says, of Petrenko's attempts to repair the damage by recording his admiration for two high-profile women conductors:

At the risk of asking a very un-PC question: the two examples he mentioned are interesting in that Alsop is a lesbian, and in Dudarova's case (in a different era) there are no reports of her every marrying or being romantically involved with men. Mere coincidence perhaps?

And if not coincidence, what?

[underthecountertenor]

Of course, Nigel Kennedy thinks that the gender question is irrelevant because all conductors 'just wave their arms out of time' - see this cringeworthy interview. I'm rather hoping that Marin Alsop demonstrates the power of the conductor on Saturday by sabotaging Nige's solos. http://www.theguardian.com/music/201...tors-overrated

[ahinton]

It seems that, in his subsequent attempt at damage limitation, he's dug himself in even deeper, unless the situation in Russia is such that, for some as yet unexplained reason, Russian women musicians are somehow exceptional in allegedly being less capable at conducting as their male counterparts - and why on earth would that be? Petrenko is a very gifted conductor, so his remarks, however careless and unguarded, do sound especially deplorable, although I'd like to hear a recording of exactly what he said in response to what before being certain of that.

[Serial_Apologist]

The Telegraph article doesn't include a comment from anyone at the RLPO, but the Guardian version I find:

...Michael Eakin, the chief executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, said: "To be honest the comments don't reflect the way he works with us and what we know of him … Vasily is always very clear: that it's all about musical talent and quality, and that's the defining factor with any musician."...

It's a real can of worms, though. The first comment on the Telegraph article says, of Petrenko's attempts to repair the damage by recording his admiration for two high-profile women conductors:

At the risk of asking a very un-PC question: the two examples he mentioned are interesting in that Alsop is a lesbian, and in Dudarova's case (in a different era) there are no reports of her every marrying or being romantically involved with men. Mere coincidence perhaps?

And if not coincidence, what?

Well that may be an answer to Pab's question above - that is, unless Petrenko does not think Alsop or Dudarova were "really" women!

[Sir Velo]

Of course, Nigel Kennedy thinks that the gender question is irrelevant because all conductors 'just wave their arms out of time'

I suspect that's Nigel just being typically tongue-in-cheek, don't you? Not that he doesn't have a point though...

[jean]

More discussion here - including objection from Russian women themselves!

[Mary Chambers]

I think it's probably the result of his upbringing, which he should grow out of eventually. He has always struck me as being a bit too macho, excellent conductor although he is. It may have been said light-heartedly - and after all, quite a lot of people secretly agree with him, even if they daren't say so.

[ahinton]

I think it's probably the result of his upbringing, which he should grow out of eventually.

"Should" - or "might (not)"? He is already 56...

[jean]

I think Mary was talking about Petrenko, who is only in his 30s.

[underthecountertenor]

ahinton: I think Mary must be referring to Petrenko, rather than our Nige.