Temirkanov Speaks - Brian Cheney - Music Lane

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Temirkanov Speaks

Brian Cheney

The following is my recollection of comments made yesterday by Yuri Temirkanov, conductor of the St Petersburg Philharmonic:
Q: You knew Shostakovitch?
A: Yes
Q:I hear he was no help to conductors of his music.
A: Yes, he would not comment on performances or tell you what he wanted.
Q: Moscow Radio recorded every note ever played by Russian orchestras in the past 70 years. Are there any documents at all of Shostakovitch conducting his work?
A: No. He was scheduled to conduct once in public, the concert was announced but he cancelled at the last minute.
Q He did perform often as pianist in his concertos and chamber music, though.
A: Yes.
Q. In 1959 the United States sent Bernstein and the NYPO to play Shostakovitch 5 in the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory where Bernstein first played his famous fast finale. Were you there?
A. Yes I was. Shostakovitch was present only for the first performance and did not tell Bernstein of his error in playing the 5th finale so fast.
Q. I have Rostropovitch/National Symphony also playing the 5th finale very fast.
A. There is an error in the tempo marking of the final movement of the published score. The correct tempo should be half that fast.
Q.: You mean quarter note=60, perhaps?
A. That is right.
Q: At home I have a CD of the 7th conducted by this Yuri fellow. Will tonite's performance with our little band be as good?
A: (Yuri and Marina in unison, shouting): NO!!!
(In the half hour car ride from Y.T.'s San Francisco hotel I had his 1995 St Petersburg performance of Shostakovitch 7th CD playing at a low level. I took it out, showed it to Maestro T who looked at his own CD very curiosly. Later after the SFSO concert of the 7th, talking in the green room with the Maestro's companion/translator Marina she told me this:)
Marina: In the car you were playing the recording of the 7th with Yuri and his orchestra. He did not recognize the performance, and didn't like it!!
Q: !!!
Next: the conductor listens critically to his new recording of the
Mahler 5th on my home system...
Big B

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Topic - Temirkanov Speaks - Brian Cheney 12:44:43 04/11/04 (16)

Thanks for sharing - Stephen 17:01:44 04/14/04 (0)

Re: Temirkanov Speaks - Merle 08:17:19 04/13/04 (0)

Temirkanov Speaks (incorrectly?) - Amphissa 20:36:46 04/12/04 (1)

Re: Temirkanov Speaks (incorrectly?) - Brian Cheney 21:50:33 04/12/04 (0)

Re: Temirkanov Speaks pt 2 - Brian Cheney 14:33:46 04/11/04 (11)

Re: Temirkanov Speaks pt 3 - Brian Cheney 19:32:15 04/12/04 (9)

Re: Temirkanov Speaks pt 4 - Brian Cheney 17:35:39 04/13/04 (6)

Thanks! - Amphissa 19:15:56 04/14/04 (0)

Thanks so much, Brian.... - Russell 11:00:45 04/14/04 (2)

Re: Thanks so much, Brian.... - Brian Cheney 14:52:25 04/14/04 (1)

Re: Kavi Speaks - Brian Cheney 07:45:18 04/15/04 (0)

Thanks, I hope we can get that recording (nt) - A.J. 09:05:44 04/14/04 (0)

Well... - SE 03:59:43 04/14/04 (0)

More! More!! (nt) - Rob Thomas 15:04:37 04/13/04 (0)

Re: Temirkanov Speaks pt 3 - A.J. 03:06:27 04/13/04 (0)

I am TOO HOOKED on these posts!:-)... - SE 05:24:17 04/12/04 (0)

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