Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Conductor

Klemperer A Monumental Life in Music

Otto Klemperer was as monumental as his music-making. At 6 foot 5, he wore a look of granitic intensity. Seat him in front of a camera, and he assumed the gaze of a raptor staring down a field mouse.

An associate, friend, and disciple of Gustav Mahler, Klemperer championed new works by Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Hindemith. He tolerated no coughing or sneezing from his audience. When the New York Philharmonic failed to offer him a music directorship after 14 weeks as guest conductor, he fired off a scathing missive: “That the society did not reengage me is the strongest offense, the sharpest insult to me as artist, which I can imagine… This non-reengagement will have very bad results not only… in New York but in the whole world.” He settled in London, where a new orchestra, the Philharmonia, was created specifically for him.

Klemperer’s power of indestructibility is legendary. No one and nothing could stop him. Not Hitler, not the U.S. State Department (that refused to renew his visa), not even a brain tumor. He made Rasputin look like a mayfly.

His catalogue of misfortunes would have destroyed a lesser man. He suffered from severe cyclothymic bipolar disorder. He underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor “the size of a small orange.” When placed in an institution, he escaped. Later, he took a severe spill, requiring him to conduct from a chair. When he set himself on fire (while smoking in bed), he tried to douse the flames with spirits of camphor.

I’m not sure what kind of woman would have the courage to get near him, but he managed to sire Werner Klemperer (a.k.a. Colonel Klink). On one occasion, Georg Solti knocked at the door of his dressing room, and when Klemperer answered, he was in his boxers and covered in lipstick.

Klemperer’s career was capped by a glorious Indian summer that spanned 20 years. This juggernaut of the podium finally ground to halt at the age 88.

Like the man, his recordings are built to last. We’ll celebrate one of the 20th century’s greatest conductors with a few of them, on his birthday.

First, on today’s Noontime Concert, it’s a double-dollop of Baroque music courtesy of Gotham Early Music Scene, or GEMS. Dan McCarthy, Baroque viola, and Dongsok Shin, harpsichord, will perform music by Johann Gottlieb Graun, from a program titled “The Emergent Viola.” Then Vox Aquarum will offer “Anthems and Devotions by Henry Purcell.”

These performances were captured at GEMS’ Midtown Concerts series, held at the chapel of St. Bartholomew’s Church, 325 Park Avenue, in New York City. Free concerts take place at St. Bart’s on Thursdays at 1:15 p.m. For more information, visit GEMS’ website, gemsny.org, and click on the events calendar.

We’ll be verklempt for Klemp – and partial to Purcell – from 12 to 4 p.m. EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

May 14, 2019
Michael Gielen Dies at 91

Conductor Michael Gielen has died at 91. So far, no claims that the reports are a hoax (with apologies to Jacques Loussier).

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/the-conductor-and-composer-michael-gielen-has-died-at-91

March 10, 2019
Remembering André Previn a Musical Giant

It’s been impressive and heartwarming to observe the outpouring of affection for André Previn the past couple of days. Previn, of course, died on Thursday at the age of 89.

A fabulous and frequently stunning musician, he was not only a top conductor, but also a fine pianist – fluent in both the classical and jazz worlds – a talented composer, totally without pretense, a crackerjack writer of film scores and musical arrangements, an author, an entertaining raconteur, and a sly wit. He was a true Renaissance man, like Leonard Bernstein, though he tended to play his cards a little closer to the vest. His love life could be a little over the top – he was married five times – and who knows, if he had come up in the age of Twitter, maybe he would have taken more of a beating.

Previn never achieved the level of public adulation that Lenny did, which is why the tsunami of love from all quarters kind of comes as a surprise to me. A pleasant surprise, granted. Criticisms of some of his musical performances were akin to damning with faint praise. On the other hand, when he was on, he was really on. The man could conduct the tar out of Rachmaninoff, Vaughan Williams, Prokofiev, Shostakovich, and William Walton, and he could surprise in his easy mastery of composers such as Richard Strauss.

I was lucky enough to see him conduct live twice. In 1995, he led a luminous performance of Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 5, with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, which he recorded with the ensemble shortly thereafter. As is generally the case – Curtis is one of the top conservatories in the world – the students played like gods.

Later, I saw him lead the Philadelphia Orchestra, in 2009. On the program was Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 24 and Strauss’ “Symphonia Domestica.” It was a shock to realize at that point that Previn was 80, and it was with concern that I watched as he stepped with evident care onto the stage, as if he were living the famous Danny Kaye routine. It was painful to see, and one of those instances where you wonder if the conductor is even going to make it to the podium.

The Mozart may not have been transcendent, but it was still a joy to hear him play (he conducted from the keyboard), even if some of the facility was diminished; but the Strauss, which he conducted from a chair, was as assured as it had been when he made his knock-out recordings of the complete tone poems with the Vienna Philharmonic.

I was also fortunate enough to interact with him twice. The first time was wholly by chance. It was in the early ‘90s, a day like any other day, and I walked out of my apartment building in Philadelphia to encounter André Previn passing on the street. Startled, I said the first thing that popped into my head – which was, I am embarrassed to report, “Maestro! Good to see you!” To which he replied with a wry smile, “Good to see you, too.”

It was on 18th Street, below Spruce. He was heading south into a residential neighborhood, where he must have been staying, because at the time there was nothing else in that direction. Of course, I lived a block and half from the Curtis Institute.

The second time was an actual conversation, in which we got to talk music. It was in the late ‘90s or early 2000s, and Previn was engaged in recording a couple of Korngold albums. I know it was after he did the symphony, but it may have been before he recorded the film scores, both for Deutsche Grammophon. He remarked that he would love to record the complete “Die tote Stadt” with Renée Fleming, but it was a matter of getting their schedules to mesh. Can you imagine? Unfortunately, it never came to pass. I also asked him why he didn’t include the overture in his otherwise fine recording of Korngold’s “Much Ado About Nothing.” His answer, again with that smile: “I didn’t know there was an overture!”

Because of the timing of his death, it’s been hard to engineer a proper tribute, but I will be working Previn’s recordings into my air shifts over the coming week. So you’ll have a good chance of encountering his artistry if you tune in on Monday from 4 to 7 p.m., Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m., and Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. In fact, I am planning to make the playlist on Tuesday all-Previn, encompassing his talents as conductor, pianist, and composer.

On Friday at 6 p.m., “Picture Perfect” will focus on his work in the film industry. He was involved with 50 movies, and on top of everything else won four Oscars.

Then next Sunday night, February 10, on “The Lost Chord,” I’ll present an hour of his original concert music, at 10 p.m.

All times are EST, and all shows can be heard on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.

Finally, Patrick Jonathan reminded me of this classic Morecambe and Wise sketch with “Mr. Preview” conducting the Grieg Piano Concerto. As an American, it is my only exposure to Morecambe and Wise, but it has the reputation of being the ne plus ultra of the team’s career.

March 2, 2019
Harold Farberman Legendary Conductor Dies

The conductor Harold Farberman has died. From what I gather, he didn’t suffer fools lightly, but he was revered for his thorough understanding of his craft.

When Farberman joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra as a percussionist in his early 20s, in 1951, he was the youngest player ever to become a full-time member of the organization. Later, he served as music director of the Colorado Springs Orchestra (1967-1970) and the Oakland Symphony Orchestra (1971-1979). He taught conducting at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School and at Bard Collage. He was a great champion of the music of Charles Ives and recorded the complete symphonies of Gustav Mahler and Michael Haydn.

Obituaries will be trickling in from official news outlets, I’m sure, but for now you can search his name on Facebook and find dozens of tributes from those who studied under him and benefited from his austere tutelage.

Among his fine recordings, none are quirkier than those of his own arrangements of the classics for percussion ensemble. The All-Star Percussion Ensemble was assembled from 10 percussionists drawn from major American orchestras, many of whom were Farberman students.

Farberman was 89 years-old.

November 25, 2018
Felix Weingartner Composer Conductor

Felix Weingartner (1863-1942) is best-recognized as a conductor. However, he considered himself equally, if not more so, a composer. He was one of a number of prominent conductors of the day who fit the Mahler paradigm. However, the works of Wilhelm Furtwängler, Otto Klemperer and any number of other famed figures of the podium are very seldom heard.

Weingartner held many conducting posts over the years. He succeeded Mahler as principal conductor of the Vienna Hofoper, from 1908 to 1911. He led the Vienna Philharmonic in an official capacity until 1927. He was later chief conductor of the Vienna Volksoper.

He thought very deeply about the problem of the symphony. I remember reading a book he wrote in which he examined the strengths and weaknesses of all the major symphonies written in the shadow of Beethoven, down to the dawn of the 20th century.

He himself composed seven symphonies, among other symphonic works, and thanks to the enterprising cpo.de – classic production osnabrück label (CPO for short), all of them have been recorded. This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” we’ll hear the Symphony No. 2, from 1901, a fascinating mix of old and new, evidently romantic in disposition, yet very much of its time. The recording will feature the Basel Symphony Orchestra, which Weingartner himself directed from 1927 to 1934.

As a conductor, Weingartner was particularly well-regarded as a Beethoven interpreter. He’d been conducting the Beethoven symphonies as a cycle since at least 1902, and he was the first to complete an integral set of recordings. We’ll have time to sample the scherzo from the Symphony No. 9 from his superlative recording of 1935.

I hope you’ll join me as we raise a glass to Felix Weingartner. That’s “Wine from Weingartner,” this Sunday night at 10:00 EDT, on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.

Click to view full image

October 7, 2018

Tag Cloud

RECENT POSTS