Bombshell: Daniel Harding quits Orchestre de Paris

Bombshell: Daniel Harding quits Orchestre de Paris

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norman lebrecht

January 30, 2018

We hear that a notice from Daniel Harding will be read this afternoon to the musicians of the Orchestre de Paris, explaining why he is resigning as music director after just one three-year term.

We’ll bring you the details as they arrive, but it appears that his relations with the musicians are fine. The difficulties lie elsewhere in a highly politicised organisation. He will leave the job in June 2019.

Harding, 42, remains music director at Swedish Radio, but the fall from Paris is a setback to his progress.

Here’s an interview he gave on his appointment in 2015.

UPDATE: More trouble tomorrow in Paris.

UPDATE2: Daniel Harding – why I resigned

Comments

  • Pianofortissimo says:

    Bad for Paris. Mr Harding has done a great work in Stockholm.

  • Petros Linardos says:

    Prominence aside, which is the better orchestra?

    • Manu says:

      Swedish Radio Orchestra is one of the finest orchestras in Europe. Amazing work done by Dan Harding there…

    • Anon says:

      the better orchestra is the one that plays better as an orchestra in a given moment. so any next moment it might be another one.

  • David says:

    Orchestre de Paris, left by Paavo and now by D Harding…

  • Robert Holmén says:

    “We hear that a notice from Daniel Harding will be read this afternoon to the musicians of the Orchestre de Paris…”

    I’m curious about the choreography of this. If it’s going to be read aloud to them, why doesn’t he just say it himself?

  • herrera says:

    For now, only rumors abound: that he wants to devote more time to flying (he’s a pilot)

    https://www.francemusique.fr/actualite-musicale/daniel-harding-quitte-l-orchestre-de-paris-58737

    https://www.lexpress.fr/actualites/1/culture/orchestre-de-paris-daniel-harding-sur-le-depart_1980704.html

    In any case, he’s staying until the end of his initial contract of 3 years til 2019.

    I say it’s pretty cheeky and presumptuous of him to assume that his contract would be extended. Hmm, humility was never his strong point.

    • Django says:

      Even more cheeky to pass judgement on someone based on Rumors.
      Do you know Maestro Harding personally? “Humility was never his strong point” And why should it be? Who are you to decide if it is or it isn’t? How would you know if his contract was extended or not? Are you part of the OdP Adminstration? If you are a musician, some solidarity between artists would be a better way to behave on a public forum, if you are a musical lover, it is presumptuous to criticize someone whose profession you do not practice.
      Either way, disrespecting Maestro Harding based on rumors only demonstrates your own lack of humility rather than his.

  • Saxon Broken says:

    I hear that the RPO are looking for a Chief Conductor…

  • debussyste says:

    It’s curious to resign in the middle of a season !

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