Two-job kid pitches for Jansons role
mainThe young Finn Klaus Mäkelä, already music director in Oslo and Paris, has thrown his hat in for the Munich vacancy.
Mäkelä, 24, will replace Yannick Nézet-Séguin at the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in three concerts at the end of next month.
He is the only significant substitution in the orchestra’s new season, announced today. Munich is auditioning for the vacant music director’s post, last held by the late Mariss Jansons.
Good to have a go for it. He can’t loose.
Sorry, but this is bullshit. The BRSO will never ever choose a 24-year-old as successor to Mariss Jansons.
I’ve seen him conduct in Cleveland last year, he’s fantastic, definitely, but he still isn’t experienced enough to succeed in the apparatus of a radio orchestra.
They will choose either Rattle, Welser-Möst or Harding.
100% BS. At 24 he should not be Music Director in two different major orchestras.
We are doing it all wrong. All of it. The whole business of music, appointments, managers, agencies, advertising…
You might be right, but you always sound so bitter…I almost feel sorry for you actually…Are you sure reading this blog and reacting to it is doing you any good?
What would the world of music be without your wisdom….?
Rattle: being there, done that.
Welser-Möst: not interested.
Harding: absolutely, whenever my flights service Munich, and I have a few hours of layover, usually between 7 am and noon
The choices really are: Kitty Whately, Paul Ince, Larry Manetti, and Evelyn Waugh.
Waugh is dead. It happens.
Whately is a singer. She sings.
So now it’s between Manetti and Ince, and it has to be Ince. I am so sure about this that I am even willing to accept Tom Ince as well. But really, Paul Ince is the obvious choice.
… or Thielemann.
He has time, true.
Rattle and Thielemann would have about the same commute. Too bad they wouldn’t ride share in Thielemann’s Porsche together. That’s a picture I would like to see.
It’s funny, Tamino. Two months ago the job was Rattle’s. Now it appears the Thielemann faction — so strong in the State if not the City — may after all have the upper hand. What I don’t understand is why CT would want it. A mere “radio orchestra” after the great Dresden Staatskapelle? The answer could only be geography: he wants to be near the mountains and all that.
Why not both? He can stay in Dresden, and also head Munich Radio. And occasionally guest conduct Vienna. Today‘s chief conductor contracts hardly require much presence. 10-12 weeks. Sometimes even less. The year has 52 weeks… It‘s not like 100 years ago. They are „chiefs“ only on paper, and as a PR trick, these days.
A good way to learn the repertoire.
YNS’ withdrawal is only due to travel restrictions: he’s announced that he’s restricting all his activities to North America for the fall. In fact, he’s taken on all five concerts given (twice each) by the Orchestre Métropolitain this fall.
It’s interesting enough to hear he’s conducting the BRSO without making bogus hints of his being a candidate for the MD job. He’s got two big jobs he just started; he’s not going to be angling for a third.
It would be odd, indeed, if Munich declined to invite the incoming director of the Orchestre de Paris. When Dudamel got LA and when Gilbert got NY, we immediately started seeing them in Berlin and elsewhere. It should be expected that the MD of a leading orchestra will guest conduct at other major orchestras.
No, it wouldn’t.
Berlin worked with Dudamel long before he got LA.
Any speculation that Klaus Mäkelä has “thrown his hat in for the Munich vacancy” is completely invalid. As one commentator has already rightfully pointed out, “YNS’ withdrawal is only due to travel restrictions”. Klaus Mäkelä looks forward to returning to Munich to replace Yannick Nezet-Seguin as a guest conductor with the orchestra this autumn. Liz Sam, HarrisonParrott
The wonderful BRSO has always decided for seasoned chief conductors: Jochum and Kubelik were in their late 40s when appointed; Davis in his 50s; Maazel and Jansons in their 60s. What reason is there to believe that the orchestra would take a leap of faith in a very young conductor this time?
Don’t forget Kondrashin, also in the 60s, who was about to take over from Kubelik but died unexpectedly.
But imagine that Munich could have had Kondrashin and Celibidache at the same time! At least they had Kubelik and Kempe at the same time.
Right! I cherish a CD of the BRSO playing Franck’s D minor symphony under Kondrashin.
Plus, how could have I forgotten, Munich also had Karl Richter!
While we are looking at the 60s early 70s, add Keilberth and Sawallisch. There was and is a lot to like in Munich. And the alps are round the corner.
Well, if they like him enough they may offer him the job;* or they might just say “He’s a talented kid; let’s look at him again when he’s an adult.”
*(seems unlikely if, as Petros Linardos says, they have always gone for more seasoned conductors. Concertgebouw and Birmingham have a history of going for young ‘uns, though, and they have overall done pretty well.)
I already wonder why such a young guy accepted two posts at two good orchestra’s. At his age and with his talent I would take one music directorship and one principle guest conductorship. For the rest of the time I would try some other orchestras to learn and above all: study, study and try to compose new music myself. And when it comes to Munich: there should be something to dream of in the future 🙂
Once again I will put forward the name of Bertrand de Billy: a wondeful musician.
Or possibly he’s been booked to conduct concert and with its unerring accuracy Slipped Disc turns it into something else.