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In Reply to: Esa-Pekka Salonon out at the L.A. Phils, to be relieved by... posted by clarkjohnsen on April 9, 2007 at 11:34:35:
I think it is suspicious that orchestrants, without any explicit prompt, vigorously deny any disconnect with Salonen. There is no smoke without fire.Salonen had great moments with this orchestra, which is documented on recordings. I can name Mahler 3 or Rite of Spring. Of all conductors that I have seen, he was most fun to watch. His body language speaks so much about music that it becomes a part of the performance. He could be a great ballet dancer if he would have chosen. I purposely buy back stage tickets when he conducts to fully enjoy his marvelous work.
But I often had a feeling that what Salonen emanates does not exactly translate into music. That the orchestra did not follow his guidance willingly and happily.
For a great conductor, it is not enough to be a great musician. On top of musicianship, one has to be a prophet, a general, a king. Because LA Phil is a group of high caliber personalities, they need someone of Napoleonic statute, otherwise they would not submit.
I've heard Dudamel this morning on KUSC playing Beethoven 5. With such a workhorse it is hard to say something new, but he said. He is a great musician, no doubt about it. His command over his orchestra (Simon Bolivar Youth) was amazing. Will he be able to convince the LA Phil of his prowess? Time will show, but one thing sure, it will be difficult time for Gustavo Dudamel.
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Of course there's no way I could know what's really going on but I've seen the L.A. Phil perform probably 80 times in the last 5 years and from where I sit I can see the orchestra members' faces pretty well and if seeing how they react to him on stage is a real barometer they'd have to be very good actors if they have anything but great respect, admiration and affection for him. I say that not just because of how they respond to him but also comparing and contrasting that with how they respond to other conductors.Also, just because no prompt was mentioned in the article it doesn't mean there wasn't a prompt.
None of that means that there isn't more to it or that there aren't those in the orchestra who don't respond well to him and of course you have your own experience (I too have been at performances where I felt like what he can do and what the band can do doesn't quite come out in the music -- LVB # last season was a good example) but that's my feeeling/perception.
I wrote about it at the time (early last season)... and I was really questioning him then but since then virtually every performance I've seen when he's conducting has been extremely powerful for me.
Don't piss on my shoe and tell me it's raining.
That old thread had this:"Though he is largely forgotten and never got much press, I also think that Alfred Wallenstein also was a superb conductor."
We've been considering Salonen right here, right now. Once he leaves the conducting business, there's a chance he "just goes into oblivion" as a contemporary composer, barely to be seen or heard from again. Most living Classical composers, although they've gotta eat, would have to be a little nuts to think that they will ever be "icons" or whatever at the level of Sibelius. Such pretentions do not gel with reality.
Will Salonen be comfortable out of the limelight? Who knows? NY beckons in a few years, potentially.
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