The Conductor Odyssey

[Guest]

I got a swift telling off for this sometime ago on the BBC website, but Sir
Mark has so far proved me right... I argued he was the top dog on this list, and that Sir
Roger would be somewhat out of his depth in the company! After a god awfully heavy Elgar, Sir Mark has lifted this odd first night onto another level- hopefully to continue there!

I'm hoping to write a proper review later, but I just wondered if anyone agreed? Or have I got my Halle standard issue rose tinted spectacles on?

[Nick Armstrong]

I a god awfully heavy Elgar

Hi Matti, good to be able to agree with a first timer... I think you're right about Sir Todger's Elgar. I used the word 'lumbering' on the thread dedicated to the concert: might be worth copying your post there, as comments on the concert are likely to coalesce there... Ah! I see you just went there.

I didn't hear the Elder performance, had to do something else - will catch later...

[Mortimus]

Hi Matti Raz,

I'm afraid that I could not get at all excited by this first night. Not so much the music (allbeit a curious hotch potch), but the conductors. You say 'conducting odyssey'- more like 'conducting a dead end to nowhere' actually. Sir Roger is man of musical character, although some of his ideas on interpreatation are looney.

Whom I cannot tolerate are those 2 self-inflated mediocrities Sir Elder and Sir Gardner (or soon to be). Both are seriously lacking in the department of musical charisma. Why Edward Gardner has got where he has and there are so many other young conductors of his generation with so much more to offer is anyone's guess. But since they are each other's mentor/protege the situation becomes abundantly clear. A prime example of the type of 'I'll stroke your back if you do mine' ghastly attitude of the british classical music estabishment.

No- let us not get too carried away by these uninspiring musicians. We must wait for a true musician like Daniel Barenboim to provide us with the spiritual meaning we so desperately crave in his Beethoven Symphony cycle.

[Hornspieler]

Hi Matti Raz,

I'm afraid that I could not get at all excited by this first night. Not so much the music (allbeit a curious hotch potch), but the conductors. You say 'conducting odyssey'- more like 'conducting a dead end to nowhere' actually. Sir Roger is man of musical character, although some of his ideas on interpretation are looney.



Whom I cannot tolerate are those 2 self-inflated mediocrities Sir Elder and Sir Gardner (or soon to be). Both are seriously lacking in the department of musical charisma. Why Edward Gardner has got where he has and there are so many other young conductors of his generation with so much more to offer is anyone's guess. But since they are each other's mentor/protege the situation becomes abundantly clear. A prime example of the type of 'I'll stroke your back if you do mine' ghastly attitude of the british classical music estabishment.

No - let us not get too carried away by these uninspiring musicians. We must wait for a true musician like Daniel Barenboim to provide us with the spiritual meaning we so desperately crave in his Beethoven Symphony cycle.

"the Emperor's New Clothes" comes to mind.

This whole programme was a disaster waiting to happen - and it happened last night - one of the most popular and important nights of the Prom season.

HS

[BBMmk2]

Well, people, Iam for one in disagreement here. Ithought the idea of a different conductir for each piece, rather 'in spirit' of the year of the Olympics and it worked quite well. each came on did their work. Although, suffice it to say that Sir Roger was rather self iondulgent in the Cockaigne, but considering the BBCSO did'nt do a bad job, under the cirumstances.

[Ariosto]

Hi Matti Raz,

I'm afraid that I could not get at all excited by this first night. Not so much the music (allbeit a curious hotch potch), but the conductors. You say 'conducting odyssey'- more like 'conducting a dead end to nowhere' actually. Sir Roger is man of musical character, although some of his ideas on interpreatation are looney.

Whom I cannot tolerate are those 2 self-inflated mediocrities Sir Elder and Sir Gardner (or soon to be). Both are seriously lacking in the department of musical charisma. Why Edward Gardner has got where he has and there are so many other young conductors of his generation with so much more to offer is anyone's guess. But since they are each other's mentor/protege the situation becomes abundantly clear. A prime example of the type of 'I'll stroke your back if you do mine' ghastly attitude of the british classical music estabishment.

No- let us not get too carried away by these uninspiring musicians. We must wait for a true musician like Daniel Barenboim to provide us with the spiritual meaning we so desperately crave in his Beethoven Symphony cycle.

I suppose there are several reasons why I should not make any comments on this subject - as I did not hear the concert.

But, I have to agree with you and Hornspieler on this one. (Welcome, by the way).

Why these guys are flavour on the month with the Beeb just shows me how out of touch and ignorant the BBC people are.

[amateur51]

I suppose there are several reasons why I should not make any comments on this subject - as I did not hear the concert.

But, I have to agree with you and Hornspieler on this one. (Welcome, by the way).

Why these guys are flavour on the month with the Beeb just shows me how out of touch and ignorant the BBC people are.

What I have heard of Elder and Gardner, in concert and on CD, has been very positive whereas I am not getting at all excited about another middle-of-the-road Beethoven 'cycle'.

However I shall not be disappointed if Barenboim & WEDO surprise me

[Ariosto]

What I have heard of Elder and Gardner, in concert and on CD, has been very positive whereas I am not getting at all excited about another middle-of-the-road Beethoven 'cycle'.

However I shall not be disappointed if Barenboim & WEDO surprise me

Far be it for me to influence you AM51 - BUT I do think that Barenboim is in a league about 3,000,000% higher than any of those other geezers.

I'm often surprised to find a lot of other musicians agree with me on this one, and he is definitely a pianists "pianist" too!

[amateur51]

Far be it for me to influence you AM51 - BUT I do think that Barenboim is in a league about 3,000,000% higher than any of those other geezers.

I'm often surprised to find a lot of other musicians agree with me on this one, and he is definitely a pianists "pianist" too!

Oddly enough I wasn't addressing Barenboim's talents, Ariosto - I was saying that the Beethoven cycle seems a very ho-hum prospect to me but I'm prepared to be surprised.

I guess I appreciate more about Elder and Gardner because when they're around the ticket prices don't become stratospheric (tho' I doubt that's the case at the Proms). And they don't generate quite the hype that Barenboim does... (nor do they have a Beethoven CD cycle to sell )

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

[Nick Armstrong]

Oddly enough I wasn't addressing Barenboim's talents, Ariosto - I was saying that the Beethoven cycle seems a very ho-hum prospect to me but I'm prepared to be surprised.

I know what you mean Ams. Plus for all his talents, I've never warmed to or 'trusted' Barenboim somehow as a conductor.

[amateur51]

I know what you mean Ams. Plus for all his talents, I've never warmed to or 'trusted' Barenboim somehow as a conductor.

[Nick Armstrong]

Oooh I say!

[Ariosto]

Hi Matti Raz,

I'm afraid that I could not get at all excited by this first night. Not so much the music (allbeit a curious hotch potch), but the conductors. You say 'conducting odyssey'- more like 'conducting a dead end to nowhere' actually. Sir Roger is man of musical character, although some of his ideas on interpreatation are looney.

Whom I cannot tolerate are those 2 self-inflated mediocrities Sir Elder and Sir Gardner (or soon to be). Both are seriously lacking in the department of musical charisma. Why Edward Gardner has got where he has and there are so many other young conductors of his generation with so much more to offer is anyone's guess. But since they are each other's mentor/protege the situation becomes abundantly clear. A prime example of the type of 'I'll stroke your back if you do mine' ghastly attitude of the british classical music estabishment.

No- let us not get too carried away by these uninspiring musicians. We must wait for a true musician like Daniel Barenboim to provide us with the spiritual meaning we so desperately crave in his Beethoven Symphony cycle.

I was not aware that I had given you permission to slag off conductors in this (very professional) way.

But I do need a rest so if you would like to continue with the good work then that's fine. Just don't hold back in any way or form.