The Spanish journalist Julio de la Guardia has received a seven-year sentence in a Jerusalem court for the hit-and-run killing of a promising ultra-Orthodox pianist and composer, Haim Tukachinsky.

Haim was 30 and on the threshold of discovery.

Report here (in Hebrew).

A thief made off with four violins yesterday after spraying a store assistant with pepper as she showed him an incident.

The incident took place at Fein Violins in St Paul, Minn.

Three of the violins bear an Andrew Fein label.

Report here.

 

The Russian-born pianist Ilya Itin does no publicity, has an inaccessible website and tries to be seen as little as possible.

So how does Itin, 52, have such a big career, working with major orchestras and conductors?

He shares some secrets with Zsolt Bognar on Living the Classical Life:

You see him here first.

Me, says Christian Thielemann, with 179 performances and counting.

Next comes Daniel Barenboim, 161.

Peter Schneider, 150

Horst Stein, 140

Then a long drop to … James Levine. Below 100.

 

Nodoka Okisawa, 32, from Japan was declared winner last night of the Besancon Conducting Competition.

The French finalist Victor Jacob, 28, received a Special Mention.

 

The Cleveland Orchestra has just renewed Franz Welser-Möst’s contract as music director to 2027,a tenure that will amount to 25 years.

Over that period, he has survived the departure of two chief executives and the turbulent #Metoo removal of his concertmaster, focussing all the while on the orchestra, its content and its quality.

Chairman Richard K. Smucker said: ‘From Franz’s work here over the past quarter century, from everything we’ve witnessed and experienced across our Centennial Celebrations in 2018 to today, and through ongoing discussions and plans for the future, I know there is so much more to look forward to. This pairing, of Franz Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra, is already among the most successful artistic partnerships in the world today. Newspapers regularly proclaim Cleveland’s Orchestra under Franz’s baton as ‘America’s finest,’ as ‘America’s best,’ as ‘one of the top three in the world.’ This recognition inspires in us great pride and deep humility — as well as extraordinary awe and thanks to these exemplary, hard-working musicians. But, and let me say this loud and clear, together we know that Franz Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra can do even more. Franz’s vision and leadership reach across all areas of our institution, building and fostering our commitment to music education, dedicated to excellence, and determined to play more music for more people, to inspire young and old alike through the incredible power of music.’

Franz said: ‘I am humbled by the faith that the musicians of the Orchestra and everyone in Cleveland has placed in my hands,” commented Franz Welser-Möst. “From the beginning, I have been inspired by Cleveland’s musicians and by the support and keen interest that the entire Cleveland community provides to The Cleveland Orchestra. I continue to be energized by these incredible artists and by all that we are able to do together. There is no better place in the world to work and to create music together than what The Cleveland Orchestra and community have offered to me.’

 

From an interview with Christian Berzins in the NZZaS:

 

Can you define your attitude?

Yes. I am no more than a servant of the composer. I’m completely satisfied with that, because I get a lot of bonus from Beethoven or Chopin. Even if they do not live anymore, they send it to me. And I am able to reflect it.

I do not understand that.

On my new CD you will find the B-minor Sonata by Rachmaninov, I’ve been playing it for more than thirty years now. I had incredible success with it: cheers, standing ovations – everything. But personally, I was never happy with myself. There was something behind seven corners that I could not access. But I wanted to find him, complete the sonata for me! It took many years. But it was not like Beethoven, when I came to a solution. Or at least I answered to Beethoven the questions I had asked him. That’s the bonus I talked about, which I got from Beethoven. It is not something that falls from the sky. This makes my work easier and makes the composer more interesting. But I have to translate this bonus.

You do not get this information from the notes?

The score is dead and the instrument is a piece of furniture without the pianist. The text is part of a library – like papyrus. What should I do with it? I receive the information from myself. You have to interpret the text.

Well, but if the composer wrote “p” for quiet, an “ff” for very loud, or “very fast,” I should follow that prescription.

No, that’s information that I have to translate. You, Mr Berzins, can buy the sonata, the waiter there can buy it, I can buy it: but are we all capable of reading anything out of the notes? I think I am capable of finding something in it if it is Beethoven. For I am privileged to stand by its tradition: if you look back, I’m number 7 in the line to Beethoven – in the direct line! Number 5 even in the direct line of Franz Liszt! Pupils became teachers, had students – that’s all well documented, including the years. Like a certificate I carry this pedigree in front of me. Mine even goes back to Bach! At least I am number 12 in the line. But back to the questions of what role the artist plays! Why are we respected in some way?

… The composers “tell” you how to play or translate the works. Does that mean that the composer would be the best performer of his works?

Not at all! Composers should not be considered as examples of how their works must be played. There are two reasons for this: If you’re a chef in a restaurant and prepare a turbot, you’re not going to eat that fish in the evening, preferring a piece of bacon. They are fed up with this fish flavor. If you, as a composer, are in a creative process, then overwhelm yourself with emotions and thoughts. Anyone with a fixed idea takes over! And yet the question then arises as you move from one place to another, as you transfer the composition to the listeners.

It obviously needs someone like you who understands the composer.

Yes, and it takes surprise elements that a composer no longer has: but the surprises are the most important thing in the work of an interpreter. The composer allows much more in the text than to play the work in his own way. It’s me who translates everything. We musicians are respected because we invest our energy to interpret something. Maybe I play a little better than others? I do not know, but I do not overestimate my role. I am only the intermedium of Bach or Ravel.

Are there different performances for you? Or do you each strive for the same as possible?

None is repeatable! Give me the Elbphilharmonie for a month, I play the same program every night, and you will hear a different concert every night! I am not an alien, but a human! A flight and a concert are a physical act. Yesterday I had to play 50 minutes twice: 50 minutes alert, 50 minutes my body had to do something constantly.

Is the audience important to you?

I play for the listeners. I need them to listen.