The video is now online of Joyce’s attempt to play Florence Foster Jenkins.
See what you think.
Alexander Verdernikov died in Moscow last night of Covid.
The Royal Philharmonic Society have shortlisted her for soloist of the year, together with Lawrence Power (viola) and Sean Shibe (guitar).
Tough choice.
From Kasper Holten, director of the Royal Theatre in Copehnhagen:
We are all at Det Kongelige Teater shocked and affected by the news about our chief conductor Alexander Vedernikov’s far too early death. Alexander was hit by covid-19 a month ago while he was staying back home in Russia and died last night in Moscow due to the complications of the disease. Just tonight he should have directed Det Kongelige Kapel/The Royal Danish Orchestra in Beethoven’s ninth symphony, and we dedicate the concert to the memory of this charismatic and intense man, artist and colleague. Rest in peace Alexander
Stephen Maddock, CEO of the CBSO:
I am really shocked and sorry to hear this news. A great conductor and a lovely man. And 56 is far too young.
Pianist Denis Matsuev:
Great grief for all our culture. An amazing musician and a bright man left, in the prime of strength, – conductor Alexander Vedernikov. He at the time led both the Bolshoi Theater and Mikhailovsky orchestra and performed with different orchestra. I’ve repeatedly had to play with him, he has an amazing conducting manner and a deepest understanding of music. It was always a truly great pleasure and real music of the highest class.
And here we go again empty.
Just recently, I wrote about Evgeny Ivanovich Shestakov, also my partner on stage and companion, who also left life because of this evil coronavirus. Again, I read online what covid dissidents write, and again I do not understand how to encourage others to violate the recommendations of the Ministry of Health when a lot of people are sick around when friends and friends die one after another? What more proof do you need to get to these people that everything is very serious, that you need to take care and care of your loved ones?! What else do you need? What words will make you follow the precautions? When such amazing representatives of our culture leave.
Now the second wave, which is stronger not only in the number of sick and dead, but also more aggressive in health consequences. Since November 2, almost all Europe will be closed. Legendary concerts and tours are cancelled. But at the same time, I understand that the cancellation of concerts is nothing compared to human life. Nothing else remains to be told once again to everyone who still neglects the rules and exposes themselves and others to be infected, get in your hands, remember!
Cellist Johannes Moser:
Incredibly saddened by the news of the passing of my good friend and incredible musician, maestro Alexander Vedernikov. It was always a true honor and sincere pleasure to make music with him, and to be in his company was so inspiring as he was so full of life, passion for music, in touch with nature and just all-around a wonderful human being. I will miss him a lot. My sincere condolences to his family
Pentatone:
Let us dedicate the day to the late conductor Alexander Vedernikov who passed away on October 29, 2020 due to complications of COVID-19. We are honoured to have worked with him on so many astounding recordings.
From my monthly essay in the new issue of The Critic:
Half a year into Covid-19, the music director has joined the at-risk list. The role has been losing prestige for years as maestros split their time between two or three jobs, but the position remains nonetheless the central pivot of orchestral activity, a hedge against chaos.
When a soloist cancels at the last minute or a principal oboe is no longer up to the job, or the bills can’t be paid, it falls to the music director to make an instant, delicate decision. When the budget turns red, the music director is the one who has to call ministers and donors for a bailout.
Assuming he is around. In Covid, music directors were nowhere to be seen. The moment lockdown loomed, maestros took flight, leaving musicians confused, anxious and, in America, generally unpaid.
The New York Philharmonic’s fat-cat chief Jaap van Zweden has been absent throughout. It’s no comfort to New York musicians to know that the Dutchman last month took the considerable personal risk of flying to riot-torn and virus-ridden Hong Kong, where he collects a second salary.
The breakdown of trust between musicians and maestros will lead to a downgrade or downfall of the music director
When the Metropolitan Opera went dark, not a peep was heard from its Canadian music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, who has other jobs in Philadelphia and Montreal. Met players told me they felt abandoned…
Read on here.
The Japanese artist manager Arata Nishizawa, head of Musica Themis, has died suddenly.
His artists included Francois-Frédéric Guy and the Trio Wanderer.
At a time of suttered halls and mass unemployment, the Venezuelan conductor Rafael Payare has secured his involvement with the San Diego Symphony until the 2025-26 season.
“As a musician Rafael Payare has the perfect balance of making the musicians feel secure and at the same time, taking necessary artistic risks to make each and every performance exciting,” said Martha Gilmer, San Diego Symphony CEO. “While he strives for the highest level of precision, he asks every musician to be their most expressive self which creates riveting, impactful and emotional performances for our musicians and our audiences. His artistry, humanity and warmth has created a strong bond with our public. With this contract extension we assure that the work of Rafael with the musicians of San Diego continues, assuring the very strong and vital future of the San Diego Symphony.”
Walks on water, too?
With all other orchestras grounded by Covid, the Viennese will have the skies to themselves.
They are playing Suntory Hall the week after next with Valery Gergiev and Putin’s other pal, Denis Matsuev.
The hall says:
We are delighted to announce that Wiener Philharmoniker / the Vienna Philharmonic will be able to travel to Japan and the following concert will take place as scheduled under the highest level of precautionary measures and self-restrictions to prevent the infection during the orchestra’s stay in Japan. Also, the orchestra and Suntory Hall appreciate your kind cooperation for practising precautionary measures.
Ely Cathedral has reported the death this morning of Dr Arthur Wills OBE, its director of music from 1958 to 1990.
The incumbent, Edmund Aldhouse, writes: ‘Arthur Wills was a towering figure in English Cathedral music, and far beyond, for much of the twentieth century and to this day. As well as his daily work in Ely, he held a professorship for many years at the Royal Academy of Music. In both posts he taught and inspired countless musicians, young and adult, who went on to enrich this country’s musical life. Arthur was also a virtuoso organist and a composer of distinction, with an instantly recognisable musical language, and a talent for capturing the mystery and beauty of the written word in music.’
He wrote a book, The Organ, for the Menuhin Music Guide Series.
There are some wonderfully old-fashioned views in this video on sexual inequality. One little chap says ‘I want to be a music critic later on.’
Cornelius Meister, music director of Stuttgart State Opera, opens the company’s November magazine with the words: Wir haben es verbockt.
In polite English: we’re screwed. Or: We screwed up.
He continues: ‘As a society, we haven’t managed to act in a way that prevents the virus from spreading. But we also failed in another aspect: We did not succeed in giving responsible political bodies the confidence that they could make a differentiating decision that we as a society would understand and accept…
‘Thanks to constantly refined hygiene concepts and the common sense of all those involved, operas, theaters and concert halls have not yet developed into sources of the disease. To cut corona infections, there is no point in closing these cultural sites. Where zero people previously infected each other, no less than zero infections will be possible in the next few weeks.’
Read on here.
He has a point.
The Russian pianist Mikhail Bouzine took first prize at the international piano competition at Orléans, in a final that was seen only on-line after France entered new Covid restrictions. He took home 12,000 Euros and two subsidiary prizes.
Second was Dmitry Batalov, 3rd was Chae-um Kim.
Michael Chance’s Grange Festival in Hampshire has just announced it is putting on King Lear next summer with an all-star opera cast:
Sir John Tomlinson will play Lear, with Sir Thomas Allen as Gloucester.
Others in the cast are: Kim Begley (Fool), Peter Coleman Wright (Kent), Susan Bullock (Goneril), Louise Alder (Cordelia), Emma Bell (Regan), Richard Berkeley Steele, Darren Clarke, Christopher Gillett, Henry Waddington, John Graham Hall and Oskar McCarthy.
The Wagnerian Keith Warner directs. Michael Hunt is the producer who came up with the idea.
Michael Chance writes: ‘What can singers, these singers, bring uniquely to Shakespearean verse? An obvious first claim is rhythm, quite apart from vocal resonance and dramatic instinct. It should never be forgotten that all singers’ operatic music is a response to words and their multiple layers of meaning. This production promises to bring fundamental dramatic truths to the fore in surprising and transformative ways.’
