Sicklist: Met loses Brit conductor

Talking the Talk says:

David, generally with a chamber orchestra it’s fine, a pleasant demeanour and one that doesn’t get in the way of the ensembles chamber skills suffices, but a symphony orchestra needs a conductor-to paraphrase Neeme Järvi- that produces sound themselves or they are not a professional conductor.

https://youtu.be/78vZVK4JNlo?t=3m38s

and Pedro, Brian and myself have obviously all observed that larger ensembles get Robin through a performance rather than how it should be i.e. the other way around.

This conductor has had many advantages, help and support getting the opportunities he has and is so far yet to prove he is up to them. My personal experience is that he is not necessarily the most deserving -based on talent and technique- of all these opportunities he’s had, so while I’m sorry when anyone is unwell, in this case the fact he cannot work at the moment is no great loss and I would welcome seeing someone else being given his great opportunities. Sorry if my point of view is negative to you, but honestly, the continued support in the press of such levels of talent and ability as though they are are talented conductors worthy of peoples attention, has a far greater negative influence on music than the observations above. What you describe above as

performances (that) let in air and enlightenment;

to my mind are performances that ‘happen’ when standing in front of a highly skilled ensemble when you are pleasant and don’t get in the way too much. Naturally such a skilled and talented ensemble as the SCO love this as they feel freer and have more space to contribute their talents to the performance. As to his ‘high thinking’ you may well be correct, I don’t have any evidence of this and especially not from any of the performances I’ve heard.