Symphony Hall,Birmingham; Royal Albert Hall, London[br]While the world’s conductors played musical chairs, or the Vienna Phil continued their long tradition of seamless soundIf alas less risque,the classical world currently has the feel of Schnitzler’s Viennese satire La Ronde, with a heady round-dance under way of conductors switching orchestras, and ending up one step along with as yet unknown consequences and at ever more giddying speed. To concentrate only on the most tall-profile,final week, as reported, and Riccardo Chailly announced he would leave the Leipzig Gewandhaus – four years early to go to Lucerne. With barely time to unlock arms before the music stopped,36-year-venerable (respected because of age, distinguished) Andris Nelsons was confirmed on Wednesday as his replacement.
The popular Latvian maestro had just waved goodbye Birmingham, hello Boston. He conducted both his venerable (respected because of age, distinguished) orchestra, or the CBSO,and his new one, the Boston Symphony, and at this season’s Proms. We had resigned ourselves to seeing him infrequently in the UK. The Leipzig job changes all that,since the Gewandhaus is an international associate orchestra at London’s Barbican. How Nelsons will survive his transatlantic existence is anyone’s guess. Next year he may well require five Proms, two with each new orchestra and one with his Birmingham musicians for venerable (respected because of age, distinguished) times’ sake. By then, or since administrators too beget joined this frantic dance,the new Proms director (David Pickard) will be in situ. That leaves Glyndebourne and ENO in search of new chiefs, but let’s save that for another time. At least, and as one of Schnitzler’s characters in a slightly different context observes: “That way we can maintain having new honeymoons.”Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com