Honeck pays homage to Pittsburgh synagogue victims
mainAt the American Academy of Berlin today, members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra will mark one year since the synagogue shooting at Tree of Life Or L’Simcha Congregation. “Peace, Culture and Remembrance” will feature Music Director Manfred Honeck and the Clarion Quartet playing music by Nazi-suppressed composers.
A worthy effort by all concerned, including from one of the best conductors around today.
Bravo to you, Manfred.
Robert Rÿker and the Tokyo Sinfonia
Light to the Joy (Or l’Simcha).
Great respect for these musicians to pay tribute to the victims and to the families who have to endure the loss of loved ones.
On November 4 the conductor Manfred Honeck will be in Amsterdam (Concertgebouw) with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and pianist Igor Levit.
Looking forward to hear the famous maestro for the first time.
On the programme:
MacMillan’s Larghetto for Orchestra; Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, op. 43 and Shostakovitsj 5th Symphony in d, op. 47.
You will HEAR the ORCHESTRA. You will WATCH the “famous maestro”. The brilliant Pittsburgh Symphony does everything DESPITE him, not because of him.
……….you must be one of the players in the PSO………….:) However, as a listener, I do find Honeck an interesting and inspiring conductor (the recent Mahler 5 in NY superb). The orchestra is absolutely magnificent
It is true that we, orchestra musicians of any professional orchestra in the world, play and give acceptably good performances regardless of who is standing on the podium. We are trained for that. We don’t give bad performances… it is in the DNA of every professional musician to to try to give a great performance nevermind the circumstances. There are MANY bad conductors; you know, those who are on the podium without much skill and knowledge, and only looking to treat their ego, the ones who conduct for the audience and not for the music. Of course there are conductors who, when they stand on the podium they make us play more together, we get directions, we get a sound image and in rehearsal, if the conductor is really good, we address all the small details without having to hear too many verbal instructions. Very often these conductors are not audience favorites because they are all-business and are not on the podium to entertain the audiences. Critics without much music knowledge would call them ‘bland’ or ‘boring’ without really paying atention to what matters: MUSIC. That said, I’ve played under Honeck quite a lot and, while I not always agree with some of his music choices and his desire to use as many Kleiber-gestures as possible, I think he is a conductor who makes orchestras sound better… and that is, as I said, less common that one would imagine.
So the conductor can go fishing?
Of course concerts are always a mutual effort and requires musicians AND a conductor, although not in all repertoire.
Excuse for not mentioning the individual players of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Didn’t have the list at hand.