Gergiev in Vienna

Music Lane

It's all about the music, dude! Sit down, relax and listen to some tunes.

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I am new here, so hello everybody, and special regards to numero uno Gergiev`s fan Rob (I can see that one year after he was desperated about people not recognizing how big genius Gergiev is he has done a lot to change that :)
Well, I don`t know which numero I will get in Gergiev`s fun club, but I am definately the latest one. I am a Croatian journalist from Zagreb based daily newspaper, and I came to spend a weekend in Vienna, mainly because of Ivo Pogorelich (hope, everybody already know that he is also a genius) who had to have a recital in Konzerthaus. Allas, he canceled (nothing unusual), but I didn`t despair a moment. On Friday IÂ´ve heard Wiener Symphoniker under Sawallisch (Sibelius 1st and Eroica), Sunday morning I spent in Musikverein as well with Philharmoniker and Muti (Mozart 40th, Prokofiev 1st and Schubert 6th) but the climax, revelation, extasy... whatever you call it, happened on Saturday night. Gergiev with Marinski and Bashmet. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They began with GubaidulinaÂ´s Viola concerto. Demonic!!!! After Sawallisch and Symphoniker it was such a schocking experience! I guess if some polite Vienneses met two of them in the dark in some empty street, they would lift their hands up and gave them their money and watches immediately. Bashmet with his coal black hair covering his eyes, and Gergiev with his 3days bierd growing right beneath his eyes with Ivan the terrible look. Gergiev also reminded me on some of DostoievskyÂ´s heros after seven days and nights of drinking, gambling and ... etc...
But in fact the music is obviously his greatest vice and passion.
And Bashmet is just the right companion for such a musical orgy.
The second part was Nutcracker suite (set up by Gergiev, from the scene of guests departure to the Schneeflocken Waltz, and for the final Skrjabin Poem of Exstasy (even if it shouldnÂ´t be written in the same way as the drug, itÂ´s fully appropriate here). The orchestra was flying the night before from St. Petersburh to Vienna, but how could they complain when Gergiev spent the night flying from New York. It was the most impressive, the most demonic and heavenly concert experience in my life. Of course, during intermission I bought the famous Chaikovsky 5th Salzburg recording and Gergiev signed it for me after the concert and promissed me an interview. It should have happened this morning, but he is obviously fighting against time all the time, so he asked me to give him a call tonight in Athens. So folks, donÂ´t worry, IÂ´ll ask him all this questions about his plans with Marinsky, New York and Vienna and many other things and will let you know.
By the way, do you know about his conversation with soviet culture ministry official after he came back to Leningrad with the KarajanÂ´s prize and offer to become his assistant in Berlin?
Thanks to PogorelichÂ´s cancelation, last night I was in Musikverein again with Marinski, Gergiev and MahlerÂ´s 6th. I thought I was dying with the last tragic notes of the Symphony.
So, my final conclusion after this Vienna weekend is: Sawallisch is one of the greatest 20th century conductors, the representative of old school. Muti is an extremely elegant, polite conducting world pop star, but 21st century belongs to Gergiev.
(By the way, Muti told me there is no way that there will be any New Years concert in La Scala as Italian and Austrian media speculated these days. Anyway, Heider has absolutely no influence in Music and Muti is beloved in Vienna. It was the first time IÂ´ve seen conductor had to come out in front of aplauding audience long ago after the orchestra already left the stage.)
Best regards to all and the special one again to numero uno,
Branimir

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Topic - Gergiev in Vienna - Branimir 04:02:48 04/03/00 (6)

Gergiev the latest... - Branimir 13:51:05 04/03/00 (0)

Re: Gergiev in Vienna - Joe II-K 11:38:51 04/03/00 (0)

Pipeline To The Gods - SE 05:35:16 04/03/00 (1)

ROTFL ! (nt) - Jorge F 14:15:52 04/03/00 (0)

blush... Dobro jutro Branimir - Rob 04:12:30 04/03/00 (1)

BTW - Rob 04:37:07 04/03/00 (0)

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